Never seen a more shameless verdict: Aaditya Thackeray on 'real Shiv Sena' decision

Aaditya Thackeray. File Photo

In reaction to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar giving the verdict that the Eknath Shinde faction was 'real Shiv Sena' following the June 2022 split in the party, former state Minister Aaditya Thackeray said that he has never seen a more "shameless verdict" which has "murdered democracy", reported news agency ANI.

"Never seen a more shameless verdict of the tribunal that has murdered democracy," Aaditya Thackeray who is the son of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said in a post on 'X' on Wednesday.

Hitting out at the Eknath Shinde faction, Aaditya Thackeray called the Maharashtra government a "regime of gaddars" who are against the constitution and wants to rewrite it to finish democracy.

"It is evident that the regime of gaddars (betrayers) are against the constitution given to us by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. They want to rewrite the constitution to finish democracy," he said.

The former Minister said that though the verdict has "officially killed democracy" the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena will continue their fight to protect the Constitution.

"Today the verdict has officially killed democracy in our state and the principals and pillars of the constitution. We will fight to restore democracy and to protect the nation's Constitution given to us by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. This verdict wasn't only about Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray. This is about our country's constitution and democracy."

Hoping that the Supreme Court will step in and overturn the Speaker's verdict on 'real Shiv Sena', Aaditya Thackeray said, "We hope the Hon'ble Supreme Court will ensure that there will be protection for the Constitution and Democracy, against this disgraceful political fixed game."

Earlier on Wednesday, Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narwekar delivered the verdict on cross-petitions by Shiv Sena factions seeking disqualification of rival group MLAs after a split in the party in June last year, reported ANI.

The Speaker went into great length on the Shiv Sena constitution while delivering his crucial verdict and said "decision of Paksha Pramukh cannot be taken as decision of the political party", reported ANI.

"In my view, the 2018 leadership structure (submitted with ECI) was not as per the Shiv Sena Constitution. Shiv Sena party chief as per the party Constitution cannot remove anyone from the party...Uddhav Thackeray removed Eknath Shinde or any party leader from the party as per the party Constitution. So the removal of Eknath Shinde by Uddhav Thackeray in June 2022 is not accepted based on the Shiv Sena Constitution," the Speaker said.

"Also, the will of the members of the leadership structure of 2018 cannot be the will of the political party, as there are contradictory views and claims about the majority in the leadership structure by both factions," he added.

The Speaker said that given the evidence and records before him, prima facie these indicate that no elections were held in 2013, as well as in 2018, reported ANI.

"However, I as the Speaker exercising jurisdiction under the 10th schedule have limited jurisdiction and cannot go beyond the record of the ECI as available on the website and hence I have not considered this aspect while determining the relevant leadership structure," he said.

"Thus, given the above conclusions, I find that the leadership structure of Shiv Sena reflected in the letter dated February 27, 2018, available on the website of the ECI is the relevant leadership structure that has to be taken into account to determine which faction is the real political party," the Speaker said.

(With inputs from ANI)