Uddhav Thackeray, the chief of Shiv Sena (UBT), has dismissed speculation that the party will welcome back those who defected to join Eknath Shinde’s camp. Thackeray’s remarks came in response to a question posed during a press conference with alliance partners of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). “Won’t take them back,” Thackeray declared.
Following the Lok Sabha election results, rumors circulated that some of the MLAs who had aligned with Eknath Shinde after the split within Shiv Sena in June 2022 were considering a return to Thackeray’s camp.
Thackeray asserted that the MVA’s victory in the state’s Lok Sabha polls marked a beginning, not an end. He expressed confidence that the MVA would triumph in the forthcoming assembly elections as well. “The Modi government has transformed into the NDA government,” Thackeray noted. “The question is, how long will this government endure? This election has awakened the people of the country.”
Thackeray emphasized that the party would continue to collaborate with those who had remained loyal during challenging times. “If some individuals desire to join us, we will consider it,” he added.
Sharad Pawar, the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Prithviraj Chavan, a senior Congress politician, were among those present at the press conference. “We express our gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for fostering a political climate conducive to the MVA,” Pawar remarked, taking a veiled jab at the prime minister.
In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, Congress emerged as the dominant force, securing 13 seats. Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Bharatiya Janata Party each won 9 seats, while the NCP (SP) claimed 8 seats. Shiv Sena (Shinde) captured 7 seats, and NCP (Ajit Pawar) secured one seat.
