Uddhav Thackeray Dares Eknath Shinde For Fresh Elections In Maharashtra

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday pitched for fresh elections in the state, NDTV report said.

Thackeray, according to the report, dared his rival Eknath Shinde and his ally BJP to face fresh elections.

Thackeray’s reaction came a day after the Supreme Court's verdict in the tussle between the two factions of the Shiv Sena.

"Let's all face fresh elections and let people take the final decision. As I resigned, the Chief Minister (Eknath Shinde) should also resign on moral grounds," 
Thackeray was quoted in the report as having said.

He as per the report said that he would approach the Supreme Court once again if the assembly speaker does not take a call on the disqualification of Shiv Sena MLAs who had rebelled last year, leading to the collapse of his government.

"As we went to the Supreme Court earlier, if the speaker doesn't take a decision within a timeframe, we will once again go to the Supreme Court. As of now, the speaker is abroad. When he is back, he should take a decision soon," Thackeray was quoted as having said.

"I also want to tell Prime Minister Narendra Modi that there's a 'nanga naach' going on in the country, and you should stop that. Maharashtra's name is being dragged through the mud across the world. This shouldn't happen," he was quoted as having said.

The Supreme Court said it cannot disqualify Shinde and 15 other MLAs for revolting against then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in June last year, it mentioned.

“That power will rest with the speaker until a larger panel of judges rules on it,” the report said.

It also rejected a request to restore Thackeray's government because the leader had chosen to resign instead of facing a test of strength in the assembly, the report mentioned.

The court, however, strongly censured then Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, for taking decisions that helped Shinde's faction, saying he had "erred" in concluding that Thackeray had lost the support of the majority of MLAs, it stated.

"There should be action taken against Bhagat Singh Koshyari. If action is taken against one, other's won't do anything illegal,” Thackeray was quoted in the report as having said.