New Delhi: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday (August 21, 2022) said that "honest" Sena workers are with him and claimed that the rebel camp led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde cannot function without "khoka" (money).
Addressing Shiv Sena workers in Mumbai, Uddhav said that the people of Maharashtra are awaiting the Assembly elections so that they can "teach a lesson to the traitors".
The former Maharashtra chief minister also said that the Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government "lacks the courage" to advance the assembly elections.
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"They cannot function without a 'khoka' (box with money). We have also boxes with us, which are full of people who are honest and loyal to the Shiv Sena," he was quoted as saying by the news agency PTI.
On the Supreme Court hearing of the pleas filed by Shiv Sena factions led by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde on the disqualification of MLAs and other technical issues, the Sena chief said, "I do not care what the court decides. I respect the judiciary".
It is noteworthy that a rebellion by Eknath Shinde and 39 of 55 lawmakers of the Shiv Sena led to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in June.
After the collapse of the MVA government, Shinde was sworn in as the chief minister with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis took oath as Shinde's Deputy.
(With agency inputs)
