‘Real Shiv Sena’ debate: Uddhav Thackeray slams ‘murder of democracy’, set to approach SC

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar held on Wednesday that the Eknath Shinde-led faction was the ‘real Shiv Sena’ and no MLA would be disqualified. The decision sparked outrage in the Opposition ranks with several leaders from the Maha Vikas Aghadi lashing out at the ruling coalition. Former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also declared his intention to approach the Supreme Court over the matter.

“The Speaker's order that has come today is a murder of democracy and is also an insult to the decision of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court had clearly said that the Governor had misused his position and made a wrong decision...We will fight this battle further and we have full confidence in the Supreme Court...Supreme Court will not stop without giving complete justice to the people and Shiv Sena..." Thackeray said. 

The former Chief Minister also said that the Speaker had ignored guidelines shared by the apex court while delivering his verdict on the disqualification petitions filed by the rival Sena factions. Narwekar insisted that the Shiv Sena ‘pramukh’ (chief) did not have the power to remove any leader from the party. He also rejected all petitions seeking the disqualification of MLAs and insisted that the will of the party chief and the will of the party were not synonymous.

"The people in the government, including Chief Minister, had on several instances spoken on what sort of decision would be coming and it shows they had an inkling about the verdict (going in their favour) and that assurance used to get reflected in their statements," said NCP founder Sharad Pawar.

Meanwhile Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde hailed the decision as a ‘victory of truth and democracy’ as well as a win for the Shiv Sena workers and