Still With Hindutva Ideology: Uddhav Thackeray As He Calls Fadnavis His 'Friend'

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said that he still remains a proponent of  'Hindutva' ideology and that he will not ever 'leave it'. 

"I am still with the ideology of 'Hindutva' and won't ever leave it. In the past 5 years, I've never betrayed the government," Thackeray said.

Addressing a special assembly session, Thackeray, said that his former ally Devendra Fadnavis was still a friend and would "always" remain so.

"I have learnt a lot of things from Devendra Fadvanis and I will always be friends with him," he said.

Devendra Fadnavis was elected as the leader of opposition in Maharashtra Assembly on Sunday while Senior Congress MLA Nana Patole was elected Speaker.

Pro tem speaker Dilip Walse Patil made the announcement after BJP candidate Kisan Kathore withdrew his nomination earlier in the day.

I won’t call you (Devendra Fadnavis) an 'Opposition leader', but I will call you a 'responsible leader'. If you would have been good to us then, all this (BJP-Shiv Sena split) would have not happened," Thackeray added.

Shiv Sena parted ways with its ally BJP soon after the assembly election results were declared as differences cropped up between the two parties over power-sharing.  Shiv Sena, contrary to its ideology, formed an unlikely coalition with its erstwhile opponents NCP and the Congress.

"I am a lucky CM because those who opposed me are now with me and those who I was with are now on the opposite side. I am here with my luck and blessings of people. I have never told anyone that I will be coming here but I came," he said.

Thackeray was elected as a unanimous leader of Maha Vikas Aghadi, a coalition of NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena and was unanimously nominated by the Aghadi as the Chief Minister nominee.

Uddhav proved his majority on the floor of the House in an open ballot and televised vote on Saturday registering 169 votes. 

(with inputs from agencies)