'Either You Will Survive Or I Will': Uddhav's Challenge To Fadnavis Before Assembly Polls; BJP Reacts

Throwing a challenge at Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at a pre-election preparatory meeting of party workers on Wednesday, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) President Uddhav Thackeray said "Either you will survive or I”.

Further intensifying his verbal attack targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Mr Thackeray said, “We endured everything but stood firm and taught the BJP a lesson in the Lok Sabha elections."

“Our party was broken, we were targeted by central probe agencies, money power was used against us, and they even wanted to throw us in jail… But we survived everything and emerged victorious,” he further added.

Recalling how ex-Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had informed him about Fadnavis' intention to dump both Uddhav Thackeray and Aditya Thackeray in jail, the Shiv Sena patriarch said, “If you act straight we shall be straight, but if you play crooked, we shall do likewise." 

"Now either you will stay or I will," he added.

In his speech, he didn't forget to reiterate the Maha Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) recent victory in 4 out of 6 Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai which made the BJP leaders, uncomfortable.

“I was never elected as a municipal corporator, I directly became the chief minister… I did everything possible. This (Assembly elections) is the last challenge for you. They broke the party. Sena is not a rusty sword, but a sharp weapon, and we must fight to save Mumbai and the state. They must be given a befitting reply,” Mr Thackeray said.

BJP's reaction: 'Will have to take 100 births..'

Retaliating to the former chief minister's verbal attack, Maharashtra's BJP leaders, including state President Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Ashish Shelar, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Pravin Darekar, Ashish Shelar, and others, accusing Thackeray of “sowing communal divisions among the people”.

They further added that Thackeray “will have to take 100 births before finishing Mr Fadnavis' politics”.

Cornering Thackeray, the state BJP chief highlighted Pakistani flags were seen in the Shiv Sena (UBT) president's meetings in Nashik and Mumbai, but now he's talking about finishing Mr Fadnavis.

Mr Shelar said, “We accept your challenge. The BJP will ensure that the masses show Shiv Sena (UBT) its place in the upcoming elections."