Willing to resign from Chief Minister's post, BUT...: Uddhav Thackeray amid revolt in Shiv Sena - key points

Pic: IANS

Mumbai: Shiv Sena can't be separated from Hindutva, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said while making his address amid a growing political crisis in Maharashtra. The Chief Minister said, "Some people say that it's not Balasaheb's Shiv Sena. They should tell what were the thoughts of Balasaheb. This is the same Shiv Sena that it was at his time, 'Hindutva' is our life." 

Thackeray also said they have been getting calls from MLAs who have gone with Eknath Shinde. "They are claiming that they were forcibly taken away," he said. 

Thackeray also made an emotional appeal to rebel MLAs saying that he was willing to quit his post as chief minister. "If you (MLAs) say, then I am ready to leave the CM post. It's not about numbers... I will leave if even one person or MLA is against me. It's very shameful for me if even a single MLA is against me," Thackeray said, adding that, "Sharad Pawar and Kamal Nath phoned me saying they want me to continue as chief minister." While offering to quit, he also said that "if they (rebel MLAs) had something against me, what was the need of saying all this in Surat? They could have come here and said this to my face." He again said, "If any of my MLAs wants me to not continue as the CM, I am ready to take all my belongings from Versha Bungalow (official residence of the Maharashtra CM) to Matoshri."

He also said, "CM's posts will come and go but the real asset is the affection of the people. In the past two years, I was fortunate enough to get a lot of affection from people."

Meanwhile, Uddhav Thackeray said he is ready to quit even as Shiv Sena chief, not just Chief Minister. "Let those disgruntled MLAs come forward and demand so," he added. The CM also said, "Will be happy if another person from Shiv Sena succeeds me as CM if I quit."