Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said he would immediately step down from his position if any allegations against him were proven true, but asserted that he would never hand over Shiv Sena to “any thief.” The remarks came amid ongoing political tensions and allegations surrounding the party's leadership and functioning.
Addressing party workers at a public gathering in Mumbai, Thackeray said he was ready to face any investigation and would not cling to power if wrongdoing on his part was established. However, he accused political rivals of attempting to weaken and capture the party founded by his father, Bal Thackeray.
Thackeray stated that Shiv Sena was built through the sacrifices and hard work of lakhs of workers and could not be surrendered to those who, according to him, betrayed the party for personal gain. His comments were widely seen as a fresh attack on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the faction that split from Shiv Sena in 2022.
The former Maharashtra chief minister also challenged his critics to produce evidence supporting the allegations against him. He maintained that the people of Maharashtra would ultimately decide who had remained loyal to Shiv Sena's ideology and who had abandoned it for power.
The statement comes at a time when political rivalry between Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena continues to intensify ahead of upcoming elections. Party leaders on both sides have been exchanging sharp accusations over the legacy, leadership, and future of the Shiv Sena.
Thackeray's remarks received strong support from party workers present at the event, with supporters raising slogans in favor of the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief. Political observers believe the speech signals a renewed effort by Uddhav Thackeray to rally the party cadre and reinforce his claim as the true inheritor of Shiv Sena's legacy.
