In a war of words between two Shiv Sena factions, Uddhav Thackeray has accused Eknath Shinde of stealing his father’s name with the later responding with Bal Thackeray’s video clip that he would never side with Congress.
Both the factions are vying for the legacy of founder Balasaheb Thackeray.
"We will reply to them by celebrating Revolution Day tomorrow... it will be celebrated every year and every shakha (branch) of Shiv Sena," said Eknath Shinde, mentioned news agency PTI in its report.
Shinde added: "All the people present here -- you know how many signatures the Chief Minister signed in the last two-and-a-half years? I do many times more than that. I clear files in a day. When I travel in the car, I sign all the files. The previous Chief Minister did not even keep a pen with him, I keep two pens".
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In his speech at a party conclave in south-central Mumbai's Worli, the Assembly seat of his son and former minister Aaditya Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray was scathing.
"Tomorrow is traitor day. It will be one year of betrayal by the traitors. In this one year, they stole our name on the papers, tried to steal my father's name as well. Still, they have to mention Uddhav Thackeray's name in every speech. You (Eknath Shinde) can steal credit for the Ram temple. But instead of chanting the name of Ram, you chant the name of Uddhav Thackeray," he said.
He also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US this week, remarking that given the situation in Manipur, that should have been the destination instead of New York and Washington.
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"He wants to PM Modi to visit Manipur," said Shinde. "It is no big deal for PM Modi, who had conducted surgical strikes inside Pakistan… you should have shown some respect -- at least should have gone to Mantralay from Varsha," he added.
Uddhav Thackeray's father, the late Balasaheb Thackeray, had founded the Shiv Sena on 19 June 1966, invoking Marathi pride.
Since splitting Shiv Sena, Shinde has been claiming that he is the true inheritor of Balasaheb's legacy. Uddhav Thackeray, he repeatedly pointed out, has gone against the ideology of his father by allying with the Congress and Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party.
