MUMBAI: Shiv Sena cannot be separated from Hindutva, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said in his address amid rising political crisis in Maharashtra. The Chief Minister said, “Some people say that this is not Balasaheb’s Shiv Sena. They should tell what were Balasaheb’s views. This is the same Shiv Sena which was in his time, ‘Hindutva’ is our life.”
Thackeray also said that he is getting calls from MLAs accompanying Eknath Shinde. “They are claiming that they were forcibly taken away,” he said.
Thackeray also made an emotional appeal to the rebel MLAs, saying that he is ready to step down as the chief minister. He said, “If you (MLA) say, I am ready to step down as CM. It is not about numbers. If even a single person or MLA is against me, I will leave. If against even a single MLA, I will leave,” he said. So it is very embarrassing for me. Me,” said Thackeray. “Sharad Pawar and Kamal Nath called me and said that they want me to remain the chief minister.” Offering to resign, he also said, “If they (rebel MLAs) had anything against me, what was the need to say all this in Surat? They could have come here and said this with my mouth. He then said, “If any of my MLAs want me not to continue as CM, I am ready to move all my belongings from Varsha Bungalow (the official residence of Maharashtra CM) to Matoshree.”
He also said, “CM’s posts keep coming and going but the real asset is the affection of the people. In the last two years, I have been fortunate enough to get a lot of affection from people.”