NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has offered to step down as party president amid a possible fresh wave of rebellion within the party. However, he struck a defiant note, asserting that his workers remained confident and that he was ready to face any challenge as long as he had the support of Shiv Sainiks.
His remarks came as only three out of his party’s nine Lok Sabha MPs attended the parliamentary meeting in Delhi on Thursday amid intense speculation over possible defections from the Uddhav Thackeray-led camp. Arvind Sawant, Rajabhau Waje and Anil Desai were the only ones who attended the meeting. They were felicitated at the party’s foundation day celebrations held by the Uddhav-led camp.
Speaking on the occasion, Uddhav said, “Many must have thought that today, on the foundation day, Shiv Sena party workers will be low on confidence, but that is not the case. I will face any challenge as long as Shiv Sainiks are with me.”
Uddhav also recalled that the party’s founder Balasaheb Thackeray, had rejected an offer to join Congress, emphasising that the party was not power-hungry.
“If you want, I am ready to leave this position as chief. I am okay if any of you can take this responsibility. When you feel that I should leave this position, I will leave, but till the time I am here, I will fight like a strong mountain,” he said in response to recent allegations against him.
The former Maharashtra Chief Minister attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of trying to destroy the Shiv Sena. He also remarked that the BJP does not have an actual two-thirds majority in Parliament, as all their MPs have been borrowed from other parties.
