"Why Were We Not Disqualified," Uddhav Thackeray Questions Speaker's Move

The decision of Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narwkar, declaring the faction of the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the real party, is a violation of Supreme Court order and is a "ploy to kill democracy". Speaking to reporters after the Speaker's announcement, Mr Thackeray also announced that his Shiv Sena UBT faction may also file a challenge in court.

Mr Narwekar, he alleged, was put in place by the Shinde faction. "The way he made Narvekar sit, it was clear that he was in collusion. I had expressed my doubts yesterday that this is a ploy to kill democracy... We will see whether a case of contempt of the Supreme Court an be made out or not," Mr Thackeray said.  

Mr Narwekar today named Mr Shinde's faction as the "real Shiv Sena", basing his decision on a 1999 version of the party constitution that is with the Election Commission. The version of the constitution given by Mr Thackeray in 2018 is "not on record", he said.

Going by that constitution, Uddhav Thackeray did not have the power to remove Eknath Shinde from Shiv Sena, Mr Narwekar said while delivering his verdict on disqualification petitions pending for since June last year.

The disqualification petitions from both camps, though, were dismissed by the Speaker.

"If our Constitution is not valid, then why were we not disqualified," questioned Mr Thackeray.