Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said the Assembly Speaker's verdict that Eknath Shinde's Sena was the real Shiv Sena in 2022 when the factions emerged is a murder of democracy. It is also an insult to the Supreme Court, the former chief minister, who resigned in 2022 facing a rebellion by Eknath Shinde with the help of the BJP, said. The Uddhav faction has already announced that they reject the verdict and would move the Supreme Court against it.
Sena vs Sena verdict: Follow LIVE updates
If Eknath Shinde is the real Shiv Sena, then why he did not disqualify his faction, Uddhav said. "I think the Assembly Speaker did not understand the mandate -- what he was asked to do. It was a simple case of disqualification. The Supreme Court laid down a framework but the Speaker thought he was above the Supreme Court and came up with his own court and verdict," Uddhav said. “Probably, he did not understand or there were orders from the top,” the former CM said.
Maharashtra Speaker refuses to disqualify Thackeray's MLAs; what's Sena (UBT)'s strength in assembly
{{/usCountry}}Maharashtra Speaker refuses to disqualify Thackeray's MLAs; what's Sena (UBT)'s strength in assembly
{{/usCountry}}Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar said Uddhav Thackeray had no right to remove Eknath Shinde as the leader of the legislature party as according to the constitution of the party, the national executive was the supreme body and not the paksha pramukh, which was Uddhav.
"I already said it was a fixed match. The verdict is a murder of democracy and will not even stand in the Supreme Court. But it remains to be seen whether the tribunal is above the Supreme Court or if the Supreme Court is supreme. I often express concern about whether there will be democracy in India, but today I wonder whether the Supreme Court will be there in the country," Uddhav said.
Verdict goes against Supreme Court ruling: Sharad Pawar
NCP chief Sharad Pawar who faces a similar rebellion in the party by nephew Ajit Pawar said the verdict of the Maharashtra assembly speaker is against the guidelines determined by the Supreme Court.
“The Apex Court in its verdict gave importance to the party organisation as they are the ones who select candidates. The Speaker, on the contrary, considered majority of the legislative party more important,” Pawar said. “Because of the wording used in the verdict, I’m sure Uddhav Thackeray will get justice in the Supreme Court,” Pawar said.