Page 8 - Uddhav Thackeray

Will back candidate announced by Cong, NCP (SP) as CM face of MVA: Uddhav

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said he will back any candidate announced by the Congress and NCP (SP) as Maha Vikas Aghadi's chief ministerial face. Addressing party workers of the opposition bloc MVA here, Thackeray said the assembly polls are a fight to preserve Maharashtra's self-respect. Maharashtra assembly elections are likely to be held in October or November. The MVA comprises the Sena (UBT), Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) and Congress. Uddhav Thackeray will back any candidate announced by Congress and NCP (SP) as the CM face of MVA. I don't have the feeling that I am fighting for myself but for the rights of Maharashtra, Thackeray said. He insisted that the chief ministerial candidate must be decided first, rather than by the logic of the party that wins the most seats in the elections. Thackeray asked the MVA cadres to rise above self-interest and fight for the sake of protecting Maharashtra's pride and interest. He also urged them to be the ambassadors of t

Uddhav bowing before 'trivial people' for Maharashtra CM's post: Jadhav

Union minister Prataprao Jadhav has claimed Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray was bowing before "trivial people" with an eye on the chief minister's post ahead of Maharashtra polls and had abandoned the Sena's ideology. The state assembly elections are due in October this year. Last week, former state chief minister Thackeray visited Delhi and met top Congress leaders. Some BJP leaders later claimed Thackeray wanted to ensure he would be the chief ministerial candidate of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The Congress, Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) are chief constituents of the opposition alliance, pitted against the ruling 'Mahayuti' coalition of the BJP, Shiv Sena headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and NCP. Speaking at a felicitation programme in Jalna on Sunday, Union minister Jadhav, who belongs to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, said during the time of party founder Balasaheb Thackeray, leaders used to visit his residence 'Matoshree' in Mumbai. In contr

Maha BJP chief Bawankule criticises Thackeray amid rising political rift

Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule has launched a scathing attack on Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, claiming the former chief minister has abandoned the "bhagwa" (saffron) ideology and distanced himself from the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Bawankule's comments come in the wake of Thackeray's speech to party workers in Thane on Saturday, where he accused Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of capitulating to Delhi and declared the upcoming assembly elections as a battle against those who "hate" Maharashtra. During his address, Thackeray referred to his party workers as his 'wagh-nakh' (tiger-claw), a symbolic reference to a weapon used by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in historic battles. The former CM did not shy away from controversy, previously labelling BJP leader Amit Shah as "Ahmed Shah Abdali" after Shah accused Thackeray of leading the "Aurangzeb fan club". In a post on social media platform X, Bawankule derided Thackeray, asserting, "Aurangzeb fan

Assembly polls is fight against those who hate Maharashtra: Uddhav

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday accused Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of "bowing" before Delhi, and said the coming assembly elections are a fight against those who "hate" the state. Speaking at a party workers' gathering in Thane city, Shinde's bastion, he also accused the state government of "bribing" voters with the announcement of its flagship scheme Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana months ahead of the elections, due in October. Women should take benefit of the scheme as it is their own money, but should not compromise on self-respect, the former chief minister added. "They are bowing before Delhi," Thackeray said, attacking Shinde who heads the rival Shiv Sena, adding that the Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's struggle was about refusing to bow before Delhi. "The state assembly fight will be with the ones who hate Maharashtra," Thackeray added. Earlier, as Thackeray arrived for the event at the Gadkari Rangayatan auditorium here, workers of the ..

HC issues summons to Waikar on petition by UBT candidate over LS seat

The Bombay High Court on Monday issued summons to Shiv Sena's Ravindra Waikar on a petition filed by Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Amol Kirtikar challenging his election from Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat. Kirtikar had lost to Waikar, who is part of the faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, by a narrow margin of 48 votes. While Waikar got 452644 votes, Kirtikar garnered 452596 votes. In his election petition filed earlier this month, Kirtikar sought HC to set aside Waikar's election as "null and void". Kirtikar sought that he be declared as elected from the constituency. A single bench of Justice Sandeep Marne on Monday issued summons to Waikar and the 19 other respondents (remaining candidates from the constituency) and posted the matter for hearing on September 2. "Issue summons to respondents returnable on September 2," the court said. Kirtikar, in his plea, claimed that on the counting day itself he had filed an application seeking recount of the votes as there was ...

Make public clips of my alleged remarks against Pawar, Uddhav: Deshmukh

Senior NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh on Thursday dared Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to make public the video clips against him purportedly showing him speaking against NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray. Addressing a press conference here, Deshmukh said, "Fadnavis should make the video clips public because I know he possesses none." Deshmukh also showed a pen drive saying that it contains evidence about the allegations he made against Fadnavis. He reiterated his allegation that three years ago, he was pressured by BJP leader Fadnavis to make an affidavit and level false allegations against Uddhav Thackeray, Ajit Pawar, Aaditya Thackeray and Anil Parab. When asked about the pen drive in his hand, Deshmukh said it contains proof of his allegations against Fadnavis. "If I am challenged, I will reveal the video evidence I have. I don't speak without proof," he said. On Wednesday, Deshmukh alleged that an 'intermediary' of Fadnavis ..

Budget 2024 reactions: BJP, ally Nitish Kumar and Opposition, who said what

Union Budget 2024: The Congress was quick to point out that the parts of Sitharaman's Budget were inspired from its Lok Sabha elections 2024 manifesto

Sena (UBT) jabs Shinde's Sena over non inclusion of minister in NITI Aayog

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi on Wednesday took potshots at the rival Shiv Sena over its minister not finding a place in the reconstituted NITI Aayog. "No place for Shinde Sena in the reconstituted NITI Ayog. When 'Niti' is only immoral power grab, can understand the exclusion," Rajya Sabha member Chaturvedi said in a post on X. The Narendra Modi-led NDA government on Tuesday reconstituted the NITI Aayog, with four full-time members and 15 union ministers, including from BJP allies, as either ex-officio members or special invitees. Union Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent Charge) Prataprao Jadhav, who is also MoS in the Health Ministry, did not find a place in the reconstituted committee. Jadhav belongs to the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, an ally of the BJP. The Sena (UBT) has often dubbed the Shiv Sena as the party of those who have usurped power by "betraying" Uddhav Thackeray. The National Institution for Transforming India, be

Atal Bihari Vajpayee would have also imposed Emergency, says Sanjay Raut

On the occasion of the completion of 50 years of Emergency imposed in 1975, Birla praised the strength and determination of all those who strongly opposed the Emergency

After Uddhav, West Bengal CM Mamata meets Sharad Pawar during Mumbai visit

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday met Nationalist Congress Party (SP) president Sharad Pawar during her first visit to Mumbai after the declaration of Lok Sabha poll results more than a month ago. Banerjee, who heads the Trinamool Congress, met Pawar at his residence 'Silver Oak' in south Mumbai. The Trinamool Congress leader, who is on a day-long visit to Mumbai, earlier met Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence "Matoshree" in Bandra. The Trinamool Congress, the NCP (SP) and the Shiv Sena (UBT) are constituents of the opposition INDIA bloc. This was Banerjee's first visit to Mumbai after the June 4 Lok Sabha results which saw the INDIA bloc putting up better-than-expected performance. In Maharashtra, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) bagged 30 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats, stunning the ruling Mahayuti, which comprises the BJP, the Shiv Sena and the NCP. Constituents of the MVA, including the Congress, are members of the INDIA alliance at ..

Maha Vikas Aghadi discuss seat-sharing, Congress likely to keep most seats

Congress is likely to contest 120-130 assembly seats; the Shiv Sena (UBT) 90-100 seats while the NCP-SP is likely to contest 75-80 seats in the coming elections, sources said

SC to consider listing of Thackeray group's plea against CM Shinde, MLAs

The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to consider listing of a plea of the Uddhav Thackeray faction challenging Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar's order declaring the Shiv Sena bloc led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the "real political party" after its split in June 2022. The speaker had also dismissed the disqualification petitions of the Thackeray faction against CM Shinde and his supporting MLAs. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoh Misra was urged by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for UBT leader Sunil Prabhu, that the plea needed to be listed for hearing as even the term of the assembly is nearing its end. "I will see," the CJI said and asked the senior lawyer to circulate an e-mail to this effect. On January 22, the top court had issued notices to the chief minister and other lawmakers of his group on the plea of Prabhu, a leader of the Uddhav Thackeray faction. The Thackeray faction has

Uddhav demands complete farm loan waiver, implementation before Maha polls

Addressing a press conference, he also termed the monsoon session of the state legislature that commenced on Thursday

Jarange's demand for term in Maratha quota won't pass legal test: minister

Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan on Wednesday said the demand by quota activist Maroj Jarange for the inclusion of the "sage soyare" term in the Maratha reservation notification will not withstand legal scrutiny. The term "sage soyare" in Marathi means through birth relations and relations by marriage. Speaking to the reporters in Pune, Mahajan accused the opposition of deriving political mileage from the Maratha reservation issue and asserted that it was the Devendra Fadnvais government which had granted the quota to the Maratha community without disturbing the allocation of other communities. "In the last 50 years, had anyone made efforts to give reservation to the Maratha community? (NCP-SP Chief) Sharad Pawar had even said there was no need to give reservation to Marathas," claimed the BJP leader, a confidant of Fadnavis. Mahajan noted that after the BJP-led government granted the reservation to the Maratha community, the subsequent Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government failed

Will never go with those who tried to 'finish off' Shiv Sena (UBT): Uddhav

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday asserted he will never go with those who tried to "finish off" his party, putting paid to speculation about a possible reconciliation with the BJP post the Lok Sabha polls. Addressing an event organised here on the 58th Foundation Day of the Shiv Sena, Thackeray said the Narendra Modi government, which took office on June 9, will collapse and it will replaced by an INDIA bloc-led dispensation. On the BJP's performance in the just held Lok Sabha polls, the former CM maintained the national party was trying to hide its failure by spreading news that the Shiv Sena (UBT) will join the ruling NDA. "We will never go with those who tried to finish off the Shiv Sena," Thackeray declared, responding to speculation that he will realign with the BJP. Thackeray said no poll should be held for 11 seats of the Legislative Council, where MLAs will be voting, till the Supreme Court rules on disqualification pleas related to some members of the .

No change in Maharashtra's leadership, plan to win Assembly elections: BJP

The BJP on Tuesday ruled out any change in its leadership in Maharashtra after its poor showing in the Lok Sabha elections and asserted that it is working on a blueprint for the Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP coalition to emerge victorious in the assembly polls, due later this year. The decision was taken at the Maharashtra BJP's core group meeting with party president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. "There will be no change in leadership in Maharashtra," Union Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters at the BJP headquarters. The leaders discussed the strategy to ensure the re-election of the MahaYuti alliance in the upcoming assembly elections, Goyal said. The meeting was attended by senior BJP leaders BL Santosh, Bhupender Yadav, Ashwini Vaishnaw, state BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Chandrakant Patil, Pankaja Munde, Raosaheb Danve and Vinod Tawde, among others. The BJP won nine seats in Maharashtra in the recent Lok Sabha elections, down from its 2019 tally

Waikar should be stopped from taking oath as LS member: Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday said Shiv Sena leader Ravindra Waikar should be stopped from taking oath as the Lok Sabha member, amid a controversy after he won the Mumbai North West seat by a thin margin of 48 votes. The Vanrai police in Mumbai have registered a case against Waikar's brother-in-law for allegedly using a mobile phone at a counting centre in Goregaon (which is part of Waikar's constituency) on June 4, when results of the general elections were announced. Speaking to reporters here, Raut said, "Waikar's electoral victory is under suspicion, and a complaint has already been filed at the Vanrai police station in Mumbai. Due to the ongoing controversy surrounding the poll outcome, Waikar should be prevented from taking oath as a member of the Lok Sabha." "It would be a true display of democracy if he is stopped from being a Lok Sabha member until the investigation is concluded," he added. Waikar, candidate of the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Ekn

Highlights: BJP will break TDP, JDU if it fails to secure Lok Sabha speaker post, says Sanjay Raut

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MVA's Lok Sabha election victory is beginning, not end, says Uddhav

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said the victory of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra is the beginning and not the end, and expressed confidence that the opposition alliance will win the upcoming assembly elections in the state. Thackeray, whose party is a constituent of the MVA, was addressing a joint press conference of the MVA members in south Mumbai, where NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan also spoke. The three parties also held a preliminary meeting for the state assembly polls scheduled later this year. Thackeray said people of the state showed how hollow the myth of Bharatiya Janata Party's invincibility is. "Lok Sabha poll victory for Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is not the end, it is the beginning," the former chief minister said. Congress leader Chavan said after the Lok Sabha poll results, change of government was imminent in Maharashtra. Taking a swipe at the prime minister, Pawar sai

Maharashtra MLC polls: Shiv Sena (UBT) to contest three seats, Congress one

A day after the Congress accused Uddhav Thackeray of unilaterally announcing his party's candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra Legislative Council polls, the two parties finalised the deal on Wednesday with the Shiv Sena (UBT) deciding to contest three out of four seats, while the grand old party will fight one. The biennial elections to four legislative council seats- Mumbai Graduates' constituency, Konkan Graduates' constituency, Mumbai Teachers' constituency and Nashik Teachers' constituency - became necessary as the terms of sitting members are expiring in July. Voting will be held on June 26 and results will be declared on July 1. Today was the last date of withdrawal of applications. As per the seat-sharing deal finalised by the two Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents, the Shiv Sena (UBT) will contest Mumbai Graduates' constituency, Mumbai Teachers' constituency and Nashik Teachers' constituency, while the Congress will fight the Konkan Graduates' constituency. Maharashtra