Shiv Sena Factions Mark Foundation Day with War of Words Over Legacy and Loyalty

Mumbai: The two factions of the Shiv Sena used the party's 60th Foundation Day on Friday to draw battle lines over the legacy of Bal Thackeray and the future of the organisation, as speculation mounted that six Lok Sabha MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction may defect to the rival group led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Addressing party workers at Shanmukhananda Hall, Uddhav Thackeray made an emotional appeal, offering to step down if he lost the confidence of the cadre. I am ready to step down. I am not greedy for a post. But if a man with a traitor’s blood falsely accuses me, then I expect you to answer him, he said. The crowd responded with chants urging him to stay.

Thackeray criticised the six MPs who skipped the event, saying they had won on the strength of Bal Thackeray's legacy and his own support. These MPs are now backstabbing the voters, he said, urging workers to confront them directly. He also warned against what he described as the BJP's attempts to dominate politics, alluding to Operation Lotus and saying the country was moving towards anarchy.

Rejecting speculation that his faction could merge with the Congress, Thackeray asserted, We stayed with the BJP for 30 years. We never became the BJP. What makes you think we will merge with the Congress? He added that the Shiv Sena would not merge with any party.

Meanwhile, at a separate event in Goregaon, Eknath Shinde defended his 2022 rebellion and sharpened his attack on the rival faction. Without naming Thackeray, he said, They are surrounded by people who only flatter them. How will the party grow like this? Times have changed and politics must change too. Stop saying ‘main, main, main (I, I, I)’. Say ‘we’. He also declared, referring to the potential defections, Yeh toh sirf trailer hai, picture abhi baaki hai (This is just a trailer; the movie is still not over).

The six MPs whose names have been linked to a possible crossover—Sanjay Jadhav, Omraje Nimbalkar, Nagesh Ashtikar, Babasaheb Wakchaure, Sanjay Deshmukh and Sanjay Dina Patil—were absent from both events, fuelling speculation.

Uddhav Thackeray's faction felicitated four parliamentarians who have remained loyal: Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut and Lok Sabha MPs Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai and Rajabhau Vaze. Thackeray claimed that 20 MLAs, corporators and thousands of workers continued to back him.