Uddhav ditched Hindutva for Maha CM's chair, says Narayan Rane

Accusing Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray of ditching Hindutva for the chief minister's post, Union minister Narayan Rane on Friday said the former's Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park on October 5 was nothing but bragging about self and badmouthing opponents. Addressing a news conference, Rane said the Shiv Sena managed to win 56 seats in the 2019 Assembly polls using pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi but then ditched the Bharatiya Janata Party to form an alliance with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party.

"You (the Shiv Sena) won using the pictures of Modi. Uddhav Thackeray has no moral right to talk about Hindutva. Why did they go with the Congress and NCP? He ditched Hindutva for the chief minister's post," Rane said.

In 2019, the Shiv Sena had contested polls in alliance with the BJP. However, it joined hands with the NCP and the Congress after a dispute over sharing the chief ministerial tenure equally.


Known to be bitter rivals, Thackeray and Rane have mounted vitriolic attacks on each other routinely.

"He should not talk about Hindutva. He does not have any moral right to talk on Hindutva. His Hindutva is fake. His rally was nothing but bragging (about self) and badmouthing (opponents)," Rane said.