Mumbai: As the defection buzz in Shiv Sena (UBT) grows louder, Uddhav Thackeray on Friday offered to step down as party chief.
“I am not someone who will run away in the face of challenges, but if you don’t have trust in me, I am willing to step down,” Uddhav said while addressing party workers on Shiv Sena’s 60th foun
dation day, adding that he was ready to make anyone the party leader.
Alleging that the BJP was trying to finish off his party, Uddhav claimed that the country was moving towards “one party, no election.”
Six of their MPs, expected to break ranks with the party and support Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, were absent at Friday’s event.
“I apologise to electors who in 2024 voted for Lok Sabha MPs who have now defected. These voters voted for us in response to my appeal, Balahsaheb’s name. We won these nine seats without using (Narendra) Modi’s name,” Uddhav said.
He said ‘Shiv Sainiks’ are not “disheartened” at the prospect of some MPs defecting, but “fired up.”
Uddhav felicitated four Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs who showed their loyalty to the party.
The six dissenting MPs likely to join the rival group are – Sanjay Dina Patil, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, Om Raje Nimbalkar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Sanjay Deshmukh and Sanjay Jadhav.