Uddhav Thackeray resigns as Maharashtra CM ahead of floor test tomorrow

Stating that he was not interested “in playing the numbers’ game,” Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said he was resigning from his post.

“I am also quitting as member of Legislative Council,” Thackeray said in a webcast, while appealing the workers of his party not to take to the streets in protest. Thackeray’s announcement came minutes after the Supreme Court refused to stay Maharashtra Governor’s direction to the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress Maha Vikas Aghadi government to take a floor test in the Assembly on Thursday.

He had no regret leaving his post, Thackeray, who was facing a rebellion by majority of Shiv Sena MLAs led by Eknath Shinde, said. Thackeray, who heads the Shiv Sena, appealed to Sena workers to allow the rebel legislators to return and not take to the streets in protest. The rebels, earlier in the evening, left Guwahati where they were camping for over a week, and landed in Goa. “Let the rebels who grew politically because of Shiv Sena and Balasaheb Thackeray get joy and satisfaction of pulling down his son from the post of chief minister,” Uddhav Thackeray said. “I don’t want to get into the numbers’ game. It would be shameful for me to see if even one of my own party colleagues stands against me,” he said.

He said security has been tightened in Mumbai and Shiv Sainiks have been detained.

Congress and NCP did not oppose his decision to rename Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad as Dharashiv in the last cabinet meeting, held in the evening, Thackeray said. He also thanked Congress president Sonia Gandhi and NCP chief Sharad Pawar for their cooperation and support while running the MVA government. “Congress leader Ashok Chavan told me that if the rebels want, Congress would get out of the government and extend outside support. Those who were expected to ditch me, stood by me while my own left me,” he said. Referring to the rebels, he said, “What were your problems? Instead of going to Surat and Guwahati, you could have come to me directly and expressed your views.”

Shiv Sena is a party of common man and has faced several challenges successfully, Uddhav Thackeray said, adding he would rebuild the party. “I thank Shiv Sainiks for standing by me. Those who grew politically because of Shiv Sena were disgruntled, while those who did not get anything were loyal,” he said. Earlier, vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala of the Supreme Court said it was “not staying the floor test as convened by the Governor” but “tomorrow’s proceeding will depend on the final outcome of this petition”. The Shiv Sena had challenged before the apex court Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s order to the Assembly secretary to schedule a floor test on Thursday morning.

“I had come (to power) in an unexpected manner and I am going out in a similar fashion. I am not going away forever, I will be here, and I will once again sit in Shiv Sena Bhawan,” added Thackeray.

Touching briefly on his short-lived 31-month-long tenure and the 56-year-old party legacy that he carries forward, Thackeray recalled how many ordinary workers, autorickshaw drivers, paanwalas, etc, grew in the party, became corporators to ministers and became very big.

“Now those same people are ‘naaraz’ (disgruntled) and those who did not get anything are still loyal and stand strongly with Shiv Sena,” he rued.

“I invited them (the rebels) several times to come and meet me and discuss their issues… whether they have problems with me, the Shiv Sena, the NCP, Congress or anything else… but there was no response,” he noted with a tinge of sadness.

Taking a swipe, Thackeray said the Governor upheld democracy by acting on the Opposition’s letter to order the floor test within 24 hours, and wished he (Governor) had done the same with the MVA’s proposal to nominate 12 MLCs, now pending since November 2020 with Raj Bhavan.

Moments later, opposition Bharatiya Janata Party leaders including state President Chandrakant Patil, Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis and others celebrated the CM’s announcement with cheers and distributed sweets.

Several rebel MLAs welcomed the developments and said the state will now be on the path of progress under the leadership of prospective CM Fadnavis.

Now, the floor shifts back to the BJP and Raj Bhavan where the formalities of the new prospective new government shall crystallise.

A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala said Thursday’s proceeding in the Assembly will be subject to the final outcome of Shiv Sena’s plea against Governor’s decision.

The top court also issued notice to the Secretary of Legislative Assembly and others on plea against the Governor’s direction for the floor test.

“We have drafted this short order. We are not staying the floor test as convened by the Governor. We are issuing notice in the writ petition. You can file a counter in five days. We will hear on merits along with other cases on July 11. Tomorrow’s proceeding will depend on the final outcome of this petition,” the bench said.

Chairing a cabinet meeting, on Wednesday evening, Uddhav Thackeray said he was betrayed by his own people.

An official said that Thackeray told his cabinet colleagues that he had been betrayed by his own people.

“I also apologise if I have hurt anyone unintentionally,” the official quoting Thackeray as saying.