Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday greeted his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray on the latter's 62nd birthday. The CM in his message refrained from referring to Thackeray as the Shiv Sena president.
Last month, Shinde had along with 39 other Shiv Sena MLAs and 10 independents revolted against the party leadership, leading to the collapse of the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
On Wednesday, Shinde tweeted: "Greetings to former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on his birthday. I pray for his healthy and long life." Recently, 12 out of the 19 Shiv Sena Lok Sabha members also extended support to the Shinde camp.
Shinde recently formed a national executive of his faction, claiming it to be the real Shiv Sena. The Thackeray-led Sena and the Shinde group are locked in a legal battle over pleas seeking disqualification of 16 rebel legislators and also over claim for the party's symbol with the Election Commission of India.
(With PTI Inputs)
