'Don't want blood of Shiv Sainiks to spill...': Top quotes from Uddhav Thackeray's speech while announcing resignation

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday announced that he is quitting from his post minutes after the Supreme Court refused to stay Maharashtra Governor's direction to his government to face a test in the state assembly on Thursday. In a Facebook live, Uddhav said, "I am also quitting as a member of Legislative Council." 

An emotionally charged Uddhav said that he had come to power in an unexpected manner, and now he is going out in a similar fashion. His announcement came minutes after the Supreme Court refused to stay Maharashtra Governor's direction to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government to take a floor test in the Assembly on Thursday. 

The Supreme Court, while giving a go-ahead for the floor test in Maharashtra Assembly tomorrow, said, "We are not staying tomorrow`s floor test."  The court also issued notice on Shiv Sena Chief Whip Sunil Prabhu`s plea and said that tomorrow`s floor test will be subject to the outcome of the present petition. The court will hear his plea on July 11. 

A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala had earlier in the day reserved the decision on the plea filed by Sunil Prabhu challenging Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari`s direction to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to hold the floor test on June 30 (Thursday).

The MVA government in Maharashtra is facing a political crisis after a revolt in Shiv Sena. The rebel MLAs led by Eknath Shinde have been camping in Guwahati.

Here are the top quotes from Uddhav Thackeray's speech:-

-I am resigning as the Chief Minister. I don't want the blood of Shiv Sainiks to spill.

-I had come (to power) in an unexpected manner and I am going out in a similar fashion. I am not going away forever, I will be here, and I will once again sit in Shiv Sena Bhawan. I will gather all my people.

-We respect the Supreme Court's decision. Democracy must be followed.

-I want to express my gratitude to the people of NCP and Congress that they supported me.

-It is my mistake that I placed my faith in these people.