Page 41 - Shiv Sena

Shiv Sena's Dussehra rally will be held in Mumbai's Shivaji Park: Uddhav

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Monday asserted that the party's annual Dussehra rally will be held at the Shivaji Park in Mumbai. Thackeray's remarks came against the backdrop of his faction not yet getting a nod from the Mumbai civic body for the rally, a decades old political event held by the Sena in the sprawling Shivaji Park and synonymous with the fiery speeches of party founder late Bal Thackeray. This will be the first Dussehra rally of the Shiv Sena after the split in the party in June this year. The revolt by a group of Sena legislators had led to the collapse of the Thackeray-led government. On Saturday, Uddhav Thackeray's son and former state minister Aaditya Thackeray said authorities were not accepting an application from the Shiv Sena to hold its annual Dussehra rally. Dussehra will be celebrated on October 5 this year. Talking to reporters on Monday, Uddhav Thackeray said Shiv Sainaiks have begun preparation to come to the Shivaji Park from different parts

Cabinet expansion the next challenge for Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde

Government has 23 vacant ministerial berths to fill, even as it prepares for municipal elections, and battles a shift in Shiv Sainiks' sympathies

Uddhav announces Sena's alliance with Maratha outfit Sambhaji Brigade

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday announced the party's alliance with the Maratha outfit Sambhaji Brigade. The development came as the Thackeray-led party is reeling under the impact of Eknath Shinde's rebellion and the loss of power in Maharashtra. Talking to reporters here, Thackeray said the alliance with Sambhaji Brigade was ideological and forged to uphold the Constitution and also regional pride. He slammed the BJP for not adhering to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) ideology and said the Sambhaji Brigade comprises people who fight for ideology. Thackeray also denied the allegation that he had called Chief Minister Eknath Shinde "contract CM". He will be touring the state around Dussehra and is currently focusing on building the organisation, the Sena chief said. Over the last two months, he had been contacted by many parties which had ideological affinity with the Sena and even the ones which were its polar opposite, he said. These parties wished to c

Attempt to topple AAP govt shows how dangerous 'Operation Lotus' is: Sena

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on Friday accused the BJP of trying to topple the AAP government in Delhi by using the Enforcement Directorate, and said it shows how dangerous 'Operation Lotus' is for the democracy in the country. The editorial in the Sena mouthpiece Saamana said the BJP was worried about 2024 Lok Sabha elections and scared of rival leaders like Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee and Nitish Kumar. Delhi chief minister Kejriwal on Thursday accused the BJP of trying to topple his government by offering Rs 800 crore to 40 MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party for switching sides. The BJP denied the allegation. This shows how dangerous Operation Lotus is for democracy, Saamana editorial said, adding that raids by investigation agencies and politics of revenge were the biggest weapons of the BJP. The BJP's opponents often use the term 'Operation Lotus' while accusing it of making efforts to topple the state governments run by opposition parties.

Shiv Sena factions target each other in Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan premises

Legislators of the Shiv Sena faction of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde targeted former minister Aaditya Thackeray by displaying a banner against him on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan here on Thursday. Aaditya Thackeray countered them by shouting a slogan implying that MLAs of the Shinde faction got money to switch loyalty, which had resulted in the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led government comprising the Sena, NCP and Congress. Legislators from the Shinde faction carried banners with the message: "Yuvrajanchi disha chukli" (the prince missed his path) on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan where the state legislature session is currently underway. MLA Bharat Gogawale told reporters that if legislators of the Shinde group are targeted repeatedly, they would not sit with folded hands. "We will respond," he said. On the other side, Aaditya Thackeray and some legislators of the Congress and NCP shouted slogans demanding that a "wet drought" be declared in Maharashtra to pro

Maha Min says no child death due to malnutrition in 5yrs; NCP, Cong object

Maharashtra Tribal Development Minister Vijaykumar Gavit on Wednesday said in the state Assembly that there has been no child death reported due to malnutrition in the state in the last five years. However, members of the NCP and Congress objected to the minister's claim. Gavit said, As per information shared by the state health department with my office, there is no child death reported due to malnutrition in the state." "There are 16 districts in the state where tribal population is identified. No district has reported death due to malnutrition in the last five years," the minister said. However, Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar objected to Gavit's response saying, It is a well-known fact that there have been cases of malnutrition in the state and many children die due to it every year." "In Melghat (Amravati district) alone, 18 children died between July 15 and August 15 this year, the NCP leader claimed. After a row over the issue, Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar asked the min

SC refers Uddhav-Shinde dispute to five-judge constitution bench

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the Uddhav Thackeray faction, asked the top court to restrain the Election Commission from deciding Shinde's claim

SC refers petitions of Shiv Sena, Eknath Shinde to constitution bench

The Supreme Court on Tuesday referred to a five-judge bench the petitions filed by the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde raising several constitutional questions related to defection, merger and disqualification. A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana ordered the listing of petitions before the constitution bench on Thursday and directed the Election Commission not to pass any orders on Shinde faction's plea that it be considered the real Shiv Sena and granted the party's poll symbol. "List the matter before the constitution bench the day after tomorrow and the bench will decide about the symbol related to the Election Commission proceeding at the beginning," the bench also comprising Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli said. The bench was hearing pending cases related to the recent political crisis in Maharashtra that led to the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state.

What did rebel Sena MLAs achieve by backstabbing us? Aaditya Thackeray asks

Shiv Sena MLA and former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray has sought to know what did the rebel legislators achieve by "backstabbing" the party leadership when it supported them in every possible way. He made the remarks on Saturday at a public rally in Jalgaon, the Assembly constituency of rebel Sena leader and present state minister Gulabrao Patil. In June this year, Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde and 39 other legislators revolted against the party leadership, leading to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, which comprised the Sena, NCP and Congress. Shinde was sworn in as the chief minister on June 30 along with BJP's Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy. CM Shinde recently expanded his cabinet, inducting nine ministers each from the Sena and the BJP. We gave them tickets, made efforts to get them elected and supported them in every possible way. Why did they backstab us? What did they achieve by being traitors? Aaditya Thackeray ...

Current Maharashtra CM doesn't sit at home: Fadnavis' swipe at Uddhav

In a veiled swipe at Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said the current chief minister does not sit at home but tours the state and meets people. He also said the alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will win the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls. Thackeray was often accused by the BJP of not stepping out of Mumbai during his tenure as the chief minister (November 2019- June 2022) and mostly using his residence for meetings. Fadnavis said MLA Ashish Shelar was asked to take up the post of Mumbai BJP to ensure victory in the BMC polls and exuded confidence the latter will win the "match". "When the BMC polls took place last time with Shelar was Mumbai BJP president, the party won 82 seats (in the 227-member civic body in 2017). We were ready to install our mayor but took two steps back for our ally (Shiv Sena) and allowed them to have their ..

Everyone knows who the 'real CM' is: Aaditya Thackeray's dig at Shinde

In a searing attack on the Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday said everyone knows who is the "real chief minister", apparently alluding to the clout of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP in the new dispensation. Taking a dig at the cabinet expansion, Aaditya Thackeray said the ministerial team has neither heard Mumbai's voice nor the voice of women or Independent MLAs. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde last week expanded his Cabinet, inducting nine MLAs each of the rebel Shiv Sena camp and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is supporting his government. No woman legislator or Independent was inducted in the Cabinet whose strength is now 20. The first 14 to 15 MLAs who aligned with Shinde when he revolted against the Shiv Sena leadership in June have not found a place in the Cabinet. So there is no place for loyalty, Aaditya Thackeray, a former minister, mocked while talking to reporters outside the state ...

Shinde faction MLA threatens Sena workers; Uddhav supporters go to cops

An MLA from Maharashtra Chief Eknath Shinde-led faction has asked his supporters to beat up workers of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena amid the growing rift between the two groups.

'Original' Shiv Sena, BJP will contest Maha civic polls together: CM Shinde

The "original" Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest the forthcoming elections to civic bodies in Maharashtra together, CM Eknath Shinde, who heads the rebel faction, has said

Maharashtra: Ajit Pawar slams induction of tainted ministers in Shinde govt

Several tainted ministers were inducted in the state govt. Many have not liked this decision. Even some persons in the Shinde-Fadnavis govt have not liked the decision to induct these persons, he said

Maha BJP eyeing 45-plus LS, more than 200 seats in tie-up with Sena rebels

New Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Friday said the party will work towards winning 45-plus Lok Sabha seats and more than 200 Assembly segments in the 2024 polls

Maha CM Eknath Shinde snubs Uddhav again, drops Shiv Sena from BAC meet

Thackeray faction leader and chief whip Ajay Chaudhari had written to Speaker Rahul Narvekar seeking representation to the BAC, but it was rejected.

Rebel MLAs taking oath is murder of democracy, Constitution: Shiv Sena

Shiv Sena claimed administering ministerial oath to rebels MLAs, whose disqualification pleas are pending before the Supreme Court, amounted to murder of democracy and the Constitution

No women in 20-member cabinet as Maharashtra CM expands 41-day-old ministry

No minister of state was sworn in today. There will be another ministry expansion later, an aide of Shinde said

Fight over Shiv Sena poll symbol: Uddhav calls for party membership boost

Addressing party workers at his residence, Thackeray said the party's membership should swell 10 times and alleged that the Eknath Shinde-led faction had engaged professional agencies for this work

Maharashtra: CM Eknath Shinde likely to expand two-member ministry tomorrow

A dozen ministers will take oath at Tuesday's ceremony, scheduled at Raj Bhavan at 12 pm, a close aide of Shinde told PTI.