Page 3 - Uddhav Thackeray

Even BJP didn't find its victory in Maha polls believable: Uddhav Thackeray

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday endorsed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations of irregularities in Maharashtra assembly elections and claimed that even the ruling BJP did not find its victory believable. Gandhi, at his press conference in Delhi, "busted the farce" of the BJP-led Mahayuti's majority in the state, he said. Just as the Opposition could not believe that its defeat was genuine, the Bharatiya Janata Party did not find its own victory believable, said Thackeray. He also dared rival Shiv Sena chief and Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to try and poach MPs of the Sena (UBT). Alleging "numerous irregularities" in the Maharashtra polls, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi earlier in the day claimed there were more registered voters than the entire state's adult population, and more voters were added in five months between the Lok Sabha and state polls than in the five years before that. He also asserted that if the demand to the Election Commis

Why should Mumbaikars fund Dharavi land grab, questions Aaditya Thackery

He further pointed out that the Deonar land was already grabbed by the Adani Group, despite objections from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)

Ready to help reconcile two Senas, but hearts need to meet first: Shirsat

Maharashtra Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat has said he is ready to facilitate reconciliation between his party and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) but hearts must meet first. The Shiv Sena spokesperson, in an interview with a Marathi channel on Saturday, said he and many of his party colleagues share cordial ties with the Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders even today. Shirsat said he is pained by the split in the Bal Thackeray-founded Shiv Sena, which is now headed by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Asked if he was ready to facilitate any efforts towards rapprochement if he gets an opportunity, Shirsat said, I will do it, but hearts need to meet first. Leaders of the two parties still meet each other warmly, he said. But the distance has become such that if it's not bridged now, it will be difficult to mend ties later, Shirsat said. Asked whether Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, the son of former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, could facilitate a patch-up,

Return to ballot paper voting, EVM confuses voters: Uddhav Thackeray

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said with EVMs, people have "lost the right" to know who they have voted for. Speaking at an event on National Voters' Day, on the eve of Republic Day, he said the country must revert to elections through ballot paper. The former Maharashtra chief minister also took swipes at the BJP and its predecessors, stating that freedom of the country is now in the hands of those who had no connection with the freedom struggle. "They participated neither in the Indian freedom struggle, nor in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement," he said, referring to the movement for the formation of the Maharashtra state. There is no value to voting any longer, Thackeray said, adding that whether EVMs can be tampered with or not is a technical question, but all the institutions have been captured. "When polling took place through ballot paper, we knew who we voted for," Thackeray said. Though there is Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) along with EVM,

Shiv Sena (UBT) to go alone in local bodies elections, says Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said his party will contest the upcoming elections to the various local bodies alone. Talking to reporters, the Rajya Sabha MP said the INDIA bloc and Maha Vikas Aghadi alliances were for the Lok Sabha and assembly polls. "In an alliance, workers of individual parties don't get opportunities, and it hampers organisational growth. We will contest polls to the Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur and other municipal corporations, zilla parishads and panchayats on our strength," he said. He said party chief Uddhav Thackeray gave the party indications that it should go alone. Hitting out at Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar for indulging in a blame game over the MVA's defeat in the state assembly, Raut said those who don't believe in consensus and compromise have no right to be in an alliance. He further claimed that the INDIA bloc did not hold a single meeting after the Lok Sabha elections. "We were not able to appoint even a convenor for INDIA bloc. I

Uddhav Thackeray meets Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis in Nagpur

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray met Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis in Nagpur.

Simultaneous polls proposal a bid to divert focus from key issues: Uddhav

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said the Centre's move to introduce a bill on simultaneous polls in the Lok Sabha was an attempt to divert attention from issues plaguing the country. Addressing reporters in Nagpur, Thackeray demanded a transparent election process before implementation of the 'One Nation One Election' proposal. He also said the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government should pay Rs 2,100 per month to women under the Ladki Bahin scheme as promised before the state assembly polls held last month. Currently, women in the state get Rs 1,500 per month under the scheme. On Tuesday, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal moved in the Lok Sabha two bills which lay down the mechanism to hold simultaneous polls in the country, with the opposition dubbing the draft laws as an attack on the basic structure. Meghwal moved for introduction the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, popularly being referred to as the Bill on "one nation,

Spoken with Railways, Dadar Hanuman temple won't be demolished: BJP leaders

A day after Uddhav Thackeray slammed the BJP over a demolition notice issued by the Railways to a temple outside Mumbai's Dadar station, ruling party leaders claimed on Saturday that they have got it stayed. BJP legislator Mangal Prabhat Lodha said the Dadar Hanuman temple will be protected. Lodha visited the shrine near Platform No. 12 at Dadar East, adjacent to the Central Railway station. He interacted with the temple trustees and joined the aarti'. MLA Kalidas Kolambkar and members of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad were also present at the temple. Lodha said he had spoken with Union Railway Minister Ashwnin Vaishnaw and an order has been issued to halt the demolition. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Thackeray on Friday claimed that Railways had issued a fatwa' (edict) to bring down the 80-year-old Hanuman temple built by porters. Taking a dig at the BJP's ek hai to safe hai slogan, he said even temples are not safe in the saffron party's regime. After his temple visit, Lodha, wh

BJP's Rahul Narwekar set to become Maharashtra Assembly speaker unopposed

BJP's Rahul Narwekar is poised to be elected unopposed as the speaker of the Maharashtra legislative assembly, with the opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) deciding not to put up a contest. Narwekar, who was the speaker in the 14th assembly for two and a half years and gave the key verdicts tied to the Shiv Sena and NCP, was reelected from the Colaba assembly seat in Mumbai. Accompanied by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Narwekar filed his nomination before the legislature secretary Jitendra Bhole on Sunday. MVA leaders met Fadnavis and urged him to follow the protocol of giving the deputy speaker's post to the opposition. They also sought the post of the leader of the opposition. The speaker's election will be formally announced in the House on Monday. This will be followed by a floor test to prove the new government's strength. Governor CP Radhakrishnan will then address the joint session of both Houses of the state ...

Stop misleading people about EVMs, accept poll mandate: Shinde to Oppn

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday hit out at the opposition, accusing it of misleading people about electronic voting machines and not accepting their mandate. Talking to reporters, Shinde said the ruling Mahayuti alliance won the November 20 assembly polls because of its work, and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi must accept the people's mandate and support the government in development works. The Mahayuti combine of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP swept the recently held polls, winning 230 out of 288 seats, while the opposition bloc of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) managed just 46 seats. The opposition parties have alleged irregularities with EVMs for its poll losses and demanded the use of ballot papers. Slamming the opposition, the Shiv Sena chief said, "When you win, there is no EVM scam, but the machine becomes bad when you lose. This is not the right approach." He said the opposition must accept the people's mandate that they have been decisively

Oppn mislead people on EVMs instead of accepting defeat: Mahayuti leaders

The ruling Mahayuti alliance on Sunday accused leaders of the opposition parties of misleading people about electronic voting machines (EVMs) instead of accepting the losses it faced in the Maharashtra assembly elections. The November 20 elections saw the Mahayuti alliance of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP achieve a landslide victory by clinching 230 out of 288 assembly seats. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), managed just 46 seats. The opposition bloc has since claimed irregularities in the EVMs and demanded the use of ballot papers. Speaking to reporters, Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant slammed the opposition for indulging in double standards. "It is because of the MVA's double standards that the Samajwadi Party has parted from the alliance. Yesterday, they boycotted the oath-taking ceremony, and today, they will hopefully take oath as members, which will again highlight their double standards," he said. He claimed the opposition

SP decides to walk out of MVA after Babri demolition post by Uddhav's aide

The Samajwadi Party announced on Saturday that it would walk out of the opposition MVA after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray's close aide hailed the demolition of Babri mosque and a related newspaper advertisement. The Samajwadi Party has two MLAs in Maharashtra. "An advertisement was given by Shiv Sena (UBT) in a newspaper congratulating those who demolished Babri masjid. His (Uddhav Thackeray) aide has also posted on X hailing the demolition of the mosque," Maharashtra SP unit chief Abu Azmi said. "We are quitting the MVA. I am speaking to (Samajwadi Party president) Akhilesh Singh Yadav," Azmi told PTI. The SP's move comes in response to Sena (UBT) MLC Milind Narvekar's post on Babri masjid demolition. Narvekar has posted a photo of the demolition of the mosque accompanied by Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's quote" "I am proud of those who did this". The Shiv Sena (UBT) secretary also posted images of Uddhav Thackeray, Aaditya Thackeray and himself in the post. "If an

Maha CM oath ceremony highlights: Devendra Fadnavis becomes Maharashtra Chief Minister for 3rd time

Devendra Fadnavis oath taking ceremony live: Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde had indicated that he was reluctant to join the new government as deputy CM. Catch all the latest live updates here

BJP legislature party leader will be finalised by new MLAs: Vijay Rupani

Former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, one of the two BJP observers for its Maharashtra legislature party meeting, on Tuesday said the name of the legislature party leader will be finalised after talks with the party's newly-elected MLAs. Rupani, who arrived in Mumbai late this evening for the meeting BJP's crucial legislature party to be held on Wednesday, said if there is unanimity, then only one name will be selected. The BJP has achieved remarkable success in the November 20 Maharashtra elections, securing 132 out of 288 seats, marking its best performance in the state so far. Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is being seen as the frontrunner for the top post in the new BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP government. Speaking to reporters, Rupani said, "The government will be formed. Discussions with the elected MLAs will take place tomorrow. One name will be finalised and it will be announced later." He said the process of finalising the leader of the BJP's legislative party follows

Only Raj and Uddhav can decide on joining hands: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader

Only the estranged Thackeray cousins- Uddhav and Raj- can decide if they want to join hands, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve said on Saturday. Danve said Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's political position is ambiguous and people cannot understand whether he is supporting the state government or opposing it. "After every poll defeat, there are such talks (that the Thackeray cousins should come together). You will find these discussions every 8-10 days after an election verdict is out. Only they (the Thackeray cousins) can decide if they want to (come together). We have no role," the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council told reporters. The Uddhav camp loyalist added that Raj Thackeray's political stand is unclear. "People don't understand whether Raj Thackeray's stand is in the favour of the government or against it. MNS fielded candidates against the Mahayuti, while on the other hand, he (Raj Thackeray) batted for (BJP's Devendra) Fadnavis

MVA candidates to seek EVM verification after Maharashtra poll loss

The Maha Vikas Aghadi candidates who faced defeat in the recent Maharashtra assembly polls have decided to seek verification of the EVM-Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) units in their segments, a leader of the opposition alliance said. Many losing candidates of the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) pointed fingers at the functioning of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during their interaction with party head Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday. Thackeray took stock of the lacklustre performance of his party at a meeting held at his residence in Mumbai. The poll verdict last week saw the Mahayuti coalition, comprising the Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP, retaining power with a massive mandate, pushing the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to margins. The Mahayuti won 230 seats and MVA only 46 in the 288-member House. The Thackeray-led Sena (UBT) emerged as the largest party in the opposition camp by winning 20 seats, followed by Congress which bagged 16 constituencies, while the NCP (Sharadchandra

Ex-CJI Chandrachud removed fear of law from political defectors: Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday slammed former Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, alleging that he had removed the fear of the law from politicians who defected from parties in Maharashtra. Raut claimed that by not deciding on the disqualification petitions, Chandrachud kept doors and windows open for defections. The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader's statement comes after his party faced a severe drubbing in the state assembly elections, as it managed to clinch only 20 out of 95 seats it contested as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The performance of the party's alliance partners was no better, with the Congress winning only 16 out of 101 seats and NCP (SP) getting only 10 out of 86 seats it contested. Talking to reporters, Raut alleged, "He (Chandrachud) has removed the fear of the law from defectors. His name will be written in black letters in history." Following the split in the undivided Shiv Sena in 2022, the party's faction headed by Uddhav Thackeray filed ...

Sena vs Sena: Shinde faction defeats Uddhav's outfit in 36 constituencies

The Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde knocked out rival Shiv Sena (UBT) of Uddhav Thackeray in 36 constituencies in Maharashtra polls, putting to rest the debate over which is the real party founded by the late Bal Thackeray. Shinde's Sena, a constituent of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, won 57 of the 81 seats it contested. Sena (UBT), a partner in the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, managed to bag only 20 despite fielding 95 candidates. In 14 seats, it defeated Shiv Sena candidates. In one of his biggest political gambles, Shinde rebelled against Uddhav in June 2022 and aligned with the BJP along with his backers to become the chief minister. The move split the Sena and sparked almost daily bickerings between the two factions. Subsequently, Shinde got the party name and its bow-and-arrow' symbol from the Election Commission. Shinde had retained most of the sitting MLAs, who had chosen to be with him when he led the rebellion two years ago. And they delivered for him on ..

Maharashtra elections results updates: Nation only trusts BJP, NDA for good governance, says PM Modi

Maharashtra election results updates: According to ECI, Aditya Thackeray, representing Shiv Sena (UBT), has won the Worli seat by 8,000 votes. Catch the latest updates on Maharashtra results here

Clueless in defeat, Uddhav may struggle to keep decimated flock together

Uddhav Thackeray, who played the bold gambit of taking on the ally BJP in 2019 and forged an unlikely alliance with the Congress and NCP, was on Saturday left struggling to make sense of his party's rout in the Maharashtra assembly elections. Thackeray, whose Shiv Sena (UBT) won only 20 out of the 95 seats it contested, admitted that he could not understand how the electorate which had inflicted a drubbing on the ruling BJP-led alliance in the Lok Sabha elections only five months ago changed its mind. From the shy son of a charismatic and firebrand Hindutva politician, the late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, Uddhav has come a long way. Early on, he survived challenges from party stalwart Narayan Rane and cousin Raj Thackeray, and went on to become the Maharashtra chief minister in November 2019 when he ended the decades-long alliance with the BJP after the assembly elections. Soon, the COVID-19 pandemic followed, and Uddhav easily connected with the people during that difficult ..