MUMBAI: Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray abandoned his ideology and took power while his successor Eknath Shinde chose ideology over power, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has welcomed the Supreme Court order on the Shiv Sena rebellion last year.
Eknath Shinde will not resign, he insisted after the Supreme Court refused to restore the Uddhav Thackeray government, and Mr Shinde was invited to form the government after Mr Thackeray resigned.

His comments at a press conference came after Mr Thackeray called for Mr Shinde to resign as he did during the agitation.

“Today Uddhav Thackeray said he resigned on moral grounds. You were elected in alliance with BJP and then formed government with NCP and Congress. Where did your morals go then? You left ideology for rule, Shinde left rule and joined us. Opposition for ideology,” he said.

“Mr Thackeray did not resign on moral grounds but because of the fear of people leaving him,” he said with Mr Shinde.

Citing the court order, he said the Speaker will take a decision on the disqualification of MLAs. “For the purpose of Schedule 10 of the Constitution, the Speaker will determine who is a political party,” he added.

“Truth has prevailed,” remarked Mr Shinde, who is the chief minister.

“We set up our government legally and constitutionally and today’s Supreme Court order proves that. Many people have been calling our government unconstitutional, but today the Supreme Court has taught them a lesson,” he added.

He responded to Mr Thackeray’s call to resign on “moral grounds”, saying his predecessor had resigned knowing he did not have the numbers to prove a majority.

“Our government was formed with a majority. That’s why Uddhav Thackeray has no option but to resign. Now they are saying they can issue the whip. I want to ask how many people you have,” he said.

Mr Shinde said his faction followed the morals and ideology of Balasabheb Thackeray, who founded the Shiv Sena in 1966.

In February the Election Commission recognized the Eknath Shinde faction as the real Shiv Sena, paving the way for the party to claim the name and the bow-and-arrow election symbol.