'Had I not acted, Congress would have...': Eknath Shinde's big claim on Uddhav Thackeray

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday asserted that his move to split from Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena was necessary, claiming, "Had I not acted, the Congress would have sold the Shiv Sena and its bow and arrow (election symbol)."

Speaking at a rally in Vaijapur to support party candidate Ramesh Bornare, Shinde said that Thackeray's alliance with Congress and the NCP after the 2019 assembly elections strayed from Bal Thackeray’s original ideology, leaving Shiv Sainiks demoralised.

Shinde dismissed claims of increasing support for the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), stating that the surge in Muslim votes for the faction would not last. He highlighted that Shiv Sena’s victories, including in the Aurangabad Lok Sabha constituency, stemmed from a focus on community service rather than caste-based politics.

Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) secured significant support from Muslim voters in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, especially in Mumbai and parts of Maharashtra, where the party won three out of six seats. The remaining seats were split between Shinde's Sena, the BJP, and Congress.

Shinde criticised the use of the ‘flaming torch’ symbol by the UBT, claiming it incited division. “They (Shiv Sena-UBT) call ‘mashal’ a symbol of revolution. But their torch sets homes ablaze and creates a rift among communities. This swelling of Muslim votes will go away,” he said.

The chief minister also pointed out that legislators in the Marathwada region lacked development funds during the 2.5 years of the MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) government. He praised MLA Ramesh Bornare’s development efforts, saying, “Vaijapur MLA Ramesh Bornare received significant funds for his constituency. I believe in giving and not taking back.”

Shinde attributed Shiv Sena candidate Sandipan Bhumre’s recent Lok Sabha victory in Aurangabad to inclusive development efforts that transcended caste and religion. Bhumre defeated candidates from the Shiv Sena (UBT) and AIMIM in that election.

Voting for Maharashtra’s 288 assembly seats is set for November 20.