Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde greets Uddhav Thackeray on his birthday

Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray. File Pic

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday wished former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on the latter's 62nd birthday.

Taking to Twitter, Eknath Shinde said: "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.

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.

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.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday compared rebel party leaders to "rotten leaves" of a tree and said let there be elections to make it clear whether people support him on the rebel faction.

In his first interview with Sena's mouthpiece 'Saamana' after stepping down as the chief minister last month, Thackeray said it was a mistake that he trusted some of the party leaders too much.

Thackeray was interviewed by Saamana executive editor and Shiv Sena's Rajya Sabha MP, Sanjay Raut, in a studio.

Without naming Sena rebel and Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde, Thackeray said that some people are comparing themselves with Balasaheb Thackeray, which shows "monstrous ambition and greed (for power)".

(With inputs from PTI)