A revolt against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray by his second-in-command and senior Minister Eknath Shinde has turned in to a battle to control the party. Mr. Thackeray on Wednesday said that he would quit the Chief Minister’s post and even the party’s top position if his party workers told him to do so to his face. Insisting that he had always overcome challenges, Mr. Thackeray said that he was ready to face more and wouldn’t mind if another Sena worker replaced him as the CM.
In an emotional address to the people over Facebook, Mr. Thackeray, who has tested positive for COVID-19 said: “We joined hands with Congress and NCP (Nationalist Congress Party), but it’s not they who are telling me to quit. The sad part for me is that my own people [Shiv Sainiks] have lost trust on me. I considered them mine; I don’t know about them. I am ready to resign. But come and meet me face-to-face. Tell me that I should quit on my face and I will resign.”
He stressed that instead of speaking to him from Surat in Gujarat, those with any grievances should come to meet him. Mr. Thackeray also said he would be leaving the CM’s official residence, ‘Varsha’, and moving to his personal residence ‘Matoshri’.
