Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut marked the party's 60th anniversary, calling the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction the 'real' Shiv Sena. He recounted its journey of overcoming challenges and betrayals, similar to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Friday said the party has completed a remarkable 60-year journey despite facing several challenges, betrayals, and political setbacks, as he marked the Diamond Jubilee (Hirak Mahotsav) of the Shiv Sena.
Addressing a press conference, Raut described the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray as the "real Shiv Sena" and recalled its growth from a regional movement for Marathi rights to a political force that reached the national capital.
A 60-Year March
"Today is the 60th anniversary of Shiv Sena, the Diamond Jubilee (Hirak Mahotsav) of the real Shiv Sena. Shiv Sena has now witnessed a long span of 60 years, first under Balasaheb Thackeray and then under the leadership of Honourable Uddhav Thackeray," Raut said.
Highlighting the party's origins, he said, "This organisation was established 60 years ago for the justice and rights of the Marathi people. Back then, people mockingly said that this organisation, the Shiv Sena, wouldn't even last for six months. It was predicted that Shiv Sena would never venture beyond Mumbai and Thane."
"All those predictions turned out to be false. Shiv Sena conquered Mumbai, Thane, and Maharashtra, and eventually reached Delhi. Shiv Sena has completed a 60-year-long march," he added.
'Betrayed by Our Own People'
Reflecting on the party's political journey, Raut said every political organisation experiences highs and lows. "In the journey of any political party, there are always ups and downs. Sometimes the flow is roaring, sometimes it halts, and sometimes it becomes steady. Even during the era of Hindu Hriday Samrat Shiv Sena Pramukh Balasaheb Thackeray, we witnessed many ups and downs. Balasaheb also had to endure many shocks. He was betrayed by his own people many times; he was stabbed in the back."
"Balasaheb Thackeray would sometimes say in anguish, so many stabs have been delivered to my back that there is no more space left on my back to take a new blow," he said.
Drawing a parallel with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's struggle to establish Hindavi Swarajya, Raut said internal opposition had historically posed significant challenges. "Therefore, we are not surprised by what is happening today. The Shiv Sena Pramukh always gave us an example: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj established Hindavi Swarajya, and while doing so, he faced the greatest obstacles from his own people."
"Shivaji Maharaj had to fight at least 200 battles against his own people. Only then was he able to accomplish his mission and hoist his flag," he added.
BJP Trying to Weaken Regional Parties: Raut
Commenting on the disintegration of regional parties, the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was attempting to weaken regional political forces. "This is going on because the BJP is scared. They don't want to keep any regional parties working with the Congress until 2029. They want to have numbers in the Lok Sabha and change the Constitution. They want to introduce a presidential system in this country. We will not let this happen," Raut said.
Poster Wars and 'Operation Tiger' Buzz
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Posters and banners put up by both the Shiv Sena, led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Shiv Sena (UBT), headed by Uddhav Thackeray, dominated key locations in Mumbai, including Bandra, Kalanagar and the Matoshree area, reflecting the continuing political rivalry between the two factions that emerged following the split in 2022.
The celebrations assume added significance this year against the backdrop of growing political chatter around "Operation Tiger", a term being used to describe the speculation that several Members of Parliament from Shiv Sena (UBT) are in touch with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and may join the ruling alliance.
The buzz gained momentum after Shiv Sena MLC Chandrakant Raghuvanshi claimed that six MPs from Shiv Sena (UBT) have expressed confidence in Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and have already aligned with his faction. However, there has been no official confirmation from the MPs concerned regarding the claims.
The political divide within the Shiv Sena dates back to 2022 when Eknath Shinde, along with a large number of MLAs, rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray's leadership, leading to a split in the party. The subsequent political and legal battles resulted in the Election Commission recognising the Shinde faction as the official Shiv Sena and allotting it the party's traditional 'bow and arrow' symbol, while the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction came to be known as Shiv Sena (UBT).
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