After symbol setback, Uddhav raises pitch: Thief must be taught lesson, EC acting like PM’s slave

“You may finish off any other party, but no matter how many generations come, Shiv Sena will remain,” Uddhav Thackeray said. (Express)

Thackeray made these remarks while addressing supporters outside his residence, Matoshree, standing out of his vehicle’s sunroof – an image reminiscent of his father and Shiv Sena founder, Bal Thackeray, addressing his supporters from atop an Ambassador vehicle in the 1960s.

Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray delivering a speech from atop an Ambassador car.

Asking party workers to prepare for elections, he said: “We should not rest till we teach the thief a lesson in elections. Start preparing for elections immediately… The thief has hurled a stone at a beehive. But he has not experienced the sting of honeybees”.

The Maharashtra Assembly elections are due in October 2024.

Shiv Sena workers in Pune put up a show of support for Uddhav Thackeray. (Express photo by Pavan Khengre)

Thackeray said Shinde would not be able to carry the “stolen bow and arrow” and would collapse like the mythological demon king Ravana who could not lift the Shiv Dhanush. ”People will decide who the Shiv Sena belongs to,” he said.

He said Modi needed to “wear Balasaheb Thackeray’s mask” to come to Maharashtra. “The thief wants the Thackeray name, Balasaheb’s photo but not the Shiv Sena family,” he said, in an apparent reference to Shinde. People understand the difference between those who wear masks and the real people, he said.

Targeting the EC, Thackeray said the poll panel had never awarded the party name and symbol to one faction in such disputes, and the symbol was always frozen in such cases. “But the Prime Minister’s slaves have done it now,’” he said.

“The BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi may think that by using agencies like EC and others who are acting like their slave, they can finish off Opposition parties. You may finish off any other party, but no matter how many generations come, Shiv Sena will remain,” he said.

“After retirement, he (Election Commissioner) may become a Governor somewhere. Because a Judge has just become a Governor. The PM and BJP have kept such slaves around,” he said.

“I am not tired. I will not get tired till I have your strength with me.. no matter how many such thieves come,” said Thackeray, as he alleged a conspiracy against his party.

In his speech, Thackeray indicated that he was apprehensive that his party’s current symbol – a flaming torch – may also be taken away. Party sources said they have already started shortlisting alternate poll symbols.

Thackeray’s party has decided to approach the Supreme Court on Monday to challenge the EC’s decision.

“Entirely Compromised institution (EC), seemingly wanting to finish off democracy, legitimising a bunch of thieves, does not make the theft legitimate. Only those who have much to hide, steal and use the mask & identities of others, because they are embarrassed of their ownself,” party leader Aaditya Thackeray tweeted.

In its 77-page order, the three-member poll panel relied on the test of majority, which the Shinde faction was able to prove it had with the support of 40 out of 67 MLAs and MLCs in Maharashtra, and 13 out of 22 MPs in both Houses of Parliament.

The EC said the 40 MLAs of the Shinde group had got 76% of the votes polled by the 55 Shiv Sena MLAs in the 2019 elections, as opposed to 23.5% for the MLAs in the Thackeray camp.

The Sena dispute came to a head when both groups held rival meetings of the Shiv Sena Legislature Party on June 21, 2022, with 24 out of the 55 MLAs attending Thackeray’s meeting to pass a resolution to remove Shinde as the leader of the legislature party. The Shinde group with 34 MLAs, including four independents, passed a resolution re-affirming Shinde as the leader.