No party is privately owned: Shinde on Maha verdict

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday said assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar's decision recognising his outfit as the "real" Shiv Sena in the MLAs disqualification case was a victory of the Constitution and democracy.

Reacting to the speaker's much-awaited ruling in the 2022 case, Shinde said a party chief's individual opinion cannot be the viewpoint of the entire organisation.

He said the order sends a message that no party is a "private limited property", and it against autocracy and dynasty politics.

Shinde said numbers are important in a democracy, and the Shiv Sena led by him was ahead in the number game vis-a-vis the rival faction headed by former CM Uddhav Thackeray.

Even the Election Commission of India has allotted the name and poll symbol of the Shiv Sena to his party, he noted.

Shinde said the Speaker's order was a victory for the people who voted in favour of the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance and also Shiv Sainiks who follow the ideals of party founder Bal Thackeray.

"It is also a victory of the Constitution and democracy," he said.

Taking a dig at his rival and predecessor Thackeray, the CM said the verdict is a lesson for those who trample upon ideals and resort to unnatural alliances.

Reading out his ruling on disqualification petitions filed by Shinde-led Sena and the rival group led by Thackeray against each other's MLAs, Speaker Narwekar held that when the split in the party became evident in June 2022, it was the Shinde-led faction that was the 'real' Sena.

The Speaker also noted that no MLA of the rival Sena factions is being disqualified.