Uddhav Thackeray questions PM’s meeting, assurance to Shinde faction amid Supreme Court hearing
Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, Uddhav Thackeray, on Saturday criticised Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his faction’s MPs meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
Thackeray raised strong objections to PM Modi’s reported reassurance of, “Do not fear, I am behind you,” allegedly given to Shinde, questioning who the message was truly intended for, while legal proceedings regarding the Shiv Sena’s identity and symbol remain pending before the Supreme Court.
Addressing a press conference, Thackeray questioned the underlying motive behind the Prime Minister’s assurance to the Shinde faction.
“When Shinde used to visit earlier, he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Now it seems their boss has changed, and they directly meet PM Modi. What does ‘Do not fear, I am behind you’ signify? Is this threat-like message given to the Supreme Court? To Amit Shah? To Devendra Fadnavis, or to the administration? PM Modi must clarify who he was actually speaking to,” he said.
Thackeray pointed out that the meeting took place while critical hearings regarding the party’s name and election symbol were actively underway in the top court.
“While our case is being heard, the Prime Minister, who didn’t meet Gen Z representatives, is meeting traitors and telling them not to fear. This is highly objectionable. It is not just for the public to notice, but the Supreme Court should also take note and ask who this message was intended for,” he said.
Thackeray further asked whether the reassurance was an open invitation to potential defectors across parties, signaling that they could defect without fearing consequences.
He emphasised that the ongoing conflict has moved beyond the internal control of the Shiv Sena, characterising it as a national fight for democratic values.
Stating that “the virus of betrayal is taking the life of democracy,” Thackeray urged patriots and citizens from Kashmir to Kanyakumari who respect the Constitution to unite against such political practices.
Confirming that these developments would be brought to the notice of the Supreme Court, Thackeray questioned why the Shinde group continues to display apprehension despite political realignments.
Further, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP, Sanjay Raut, criticised Prime Minister Modi over his meeting with the Shinde faction MPs. Referencing the ongoing disruptions in Parliament, he accused the Prime Minister of avoiding parliamentary proceedings while finding time to host faction leaders.
“PM Modi has time to throw parties with fafda, dhokla, and jalebi for traitor MPs, but has no time to step into Parliament,” Raut stated in a social media post, labeling the meeting an “insult to the public and the Constitution”.
The political confrontation coincides with ongoing hearings before the Supreme Court Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.
Representing the Thackeray group, senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued against the Election Commission of India’s decision to grant the official party name and symbol to the Shinde faction solely on legislative majority grounds.
Sibal contended that treating legislative strength as the sole metric undermines the organisational framework of political parties.