Maha CM Uddhav Thackeray tears into BJP, MNS, says 'Sena has not forsaken Hindutva'

Justifying the decision of his party switching allegiance, Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that he was forced to do it after being backstabbed by 'old allies'. The Shiv Sena supremo further added that the party might have chosen a new political path, but has neither changed colour nor left 'Hindutva'.

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While addressing Shiv Sena party workers on the birth anniversary of party founder late Balasaheb Thackeray on Thursday, Thackeray said, "We have taken extreme step because we have been backstabbed by our old allies, they have breached our trust and failed to fulfil their commitment. They told me that I lied and tried to prove that I am a liar. This is the different path I have accepted and have joined hands with the people whom we were fighting."

"It doesn't mean that I have left Hindutva, or I have changed my colour", he added.

His statement comes after MNS chief Raj Thackeray took a jibe at his cousin and Shiv Sena chief for changing 'colours to form the government.'

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After the results of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Shiv Sena who was an ally of BJP switched loyalties to the then opposition Maha Vikash Aghadi led by NCP and Congress. In a bid to come to power and claim the post of the Chief Minister, Shiv Sena joined hands with ideologically opposite Congress.

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Balancing act of Shiv Sena

With the help of NCP and Congress, Shiv Sena after the formation of the government in Maharashtra has seemingly been in a fix over retaining its original Hindutva ideology while also somehow moving towards a secular approach in order to keep the alliance partners happy. Moreover, Congress never considered Veer Savarkar a freedom fighter or a heroic figure, in contrast with what has been epitomized by Shiv Sena in the past. Shiv Sena has until recently been in favour of conferring Bharat Ratna to Savarkar, a thought which has been opposed by Congress time and again.

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Amid this, recently, Shiv Sena leader and MP Sanjay Raut stated that those opposing Bharat Ratna for Savarkar should be jailed for a few days in Andaman's cellular jail, pointing at Congress for its opposing stand on Savarkar. In order to malign the image of Savarkar, Congress party's grass-root organisation Seva Dal in its ten days workshop distributed booklets making several allegations against Savarkar.

(With ANI inputs)