Uddhav Thackeray challenges CM Eknath Shinde, Maha Speaker to public debate on which faction is real Shiv Sena

File Photo/PTI

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray Tuesday challenged incumbent Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar to a public debate with him on "which faction is the real Shiv Sena".

"I am taking this battle to the people's court," a combative Thackeray said at a press conference in Mumba. If he was not the Shiv Sena chief, why did the Bharatiya Janata Party seek his support in 2014 and 2019 after Lok Sabha elections, he asked.

This battle (between his party and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena) would decide whether democracy will prevail in the country, Thackeray added.

Narwekar on January 10 held in a long-awaited ruling that the Shinde faction was the real Sena while dismissing disqualification petitions filed by both Shinde and Thackeray camps against each other's MLAs following a split in the party in June 2022.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday, Shiv Sena (UBT) should stop insulting the sentiments of crores of Hindus. The statement comes a day after Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut raised doubts on the site of construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Talking to reporters after visiting the temple of Mumbadevi, the deity after which Mumbai city has been named, Devendra Fadnavis said, "I don't respond to fools. But I can say one thing - stop insulting Hindus."

"You (the Shiv Sena UBT) don't have any contribution in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. And the act of hurting the sentiments of crores of Hindus is wrong," the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said while responding to a question on Sanjay Raut.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader on Monday claimed that the Ram temple in Ayodhya is being built four km away from the original place.

Raut on Sunday attacked Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar over the split in the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party and accused them of "stealing parties", reported PTI.

The Shiv Sena split in June 2022 after a rebellion by Shinde, while the NCP got divided after Ajit Pawar joined the state government along with eight MLAs in July last year.