'Attempts made to break Shiv Sena': Uddhav Thackeray's veiled jab at Eknath Shinde; calls BJP 'amoeba'

NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray took a veiled jab at Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde saying that while "attempts were made to break Shiv Sena," those who deserted the party were “brass,” and only the loyal ones who stayed with him were “gold.” Speaking during a Dussehra rally in Mumbai on Thursday, he accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of 'vote chori', communal politics, terming it an "amoeba" for the society. "The Centre has money to buy votes in Bihar but does not have funds for rain-ravaged Maharashtra," he said.He also demanded the central government to extend funds for rain-ravaged Maharashtra, including loan waivers and Rs 50, 000 aid per hectare for rain-hit farmers, PTI reported.Without directly naming anyone, Thackeray said, "Attempts were always made to break Shiv Sena. But those who have run away are brass and those who are still here with me are gold."The Shiv Sena’s 2022 split left the party divided between factions led by Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray, the former retaining the original name and symbol, and the latter continuing as Shiv Sena (UBT). While both camps have claimed the legacy of Bal Thackeray, Shinde has accused Uddhav of abandoning the party’s core values of Hindutva and Marathi pride, questioning his contribution to the “Marathi manoos” during his two-decade control of the BMC. Referring to his alliance with Raj Thackeray's MNS, he assured that the two parties "came together to stay together."The party chief vowed to expose BJP's "loot" of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), if voted to power."After winning civic polls, we will come out with White Paper on BJP's 'loot' of BMC," he said. He further accused BJP of stroking communal tensions in ahead of civic polls saying, "BJP again trying to create divide between Hindus and Muslims ahead of Mumbai civic polls.""Are you satisfied with the poisonous fruits (referring to BJP) born from RSS' 100-year effort? BJP has become like amoeba; causes stomach ache when it enters body, and disturbs peace when it enters society," he said.