Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray left his ideology for power while his successor Eknath Shinde chose ideology over power, said Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today, welcoming the Supreme Court order on last year's Shiv Sena mutiny.
Eknath Shinde will not resign, he asserted after the Supreme Court refused to restore the Uddhav Thackeray government and said Mr Shinde was rightfully invited to form government after Mr Thackeray resigned.
His remarks came at a press conference after Mr Thackeray called for Mr Shinde's resignation like he did during the rebellion.
"Today Uddhav Thackeray said that he resigned on moral grounds. You got elected in an alliance with BJP and then formed government with NCP and Congress. In which box did you put your morality that time? You left ideology for power, Shinde left power and joined us in the opposition for ideology," he said.
"Mr Thackeray didn't resign on moral grounds but due to fear over people deserting him," he said with Mr Shinde by his side.
Citing the court order, he said the Speaker will decide on the disqualification of MLAs. "For the purpose of the 10th schedule (of Constitution), the Speaker will decide who the political party is," he added.
The Supreme Court also said the Speaker's decision to recognise a Shinde camp member as the party whip was illegal, handing what Mr Thackeray's faction has described as a "moral victory" for them.
"Truth has won," remarked Mr Shinde, who remains the Chief Minister, at the press conference.
"We formed our government in a legal and constitutional manner and today the Supreme Court order proves it. Many people have been calling our government unconstitutional but today the Supreme Court gave them a lesson," he added.
He also responded to Mr Thackeray's call for him to resign on "moral grounds", saying his predecessor resigned as he did not have the numbers to prove majority.
"Our government was formed with majority. That's why Uddhav Thackeray had no other option but to resign. Now they say they can issue whip. I want to ask how many people do you have with you," he said.
Mr Shinde said it was his faction that followed the morals and the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray, who had founded Shiv Sena in 1966.
The Election Commission in February recognised the Eknath Shinde faction as the real Shiv Sena, paving its way to lay claim to the party's name and bow-and-arrow election symbol.
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