Lies Are Not Hindtuva: Uddhav Thackeray Hits Back At Devendra Fadnavis, Thanks Sonia Gandhi

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday hit back at former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and said that lying was not part of 'Hindutva'. Referring to Fadnavis’s remark that Shiv Sena has surrendered its ideology of 'Hindutva' at the feet of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Thackeray said, "I'm ready to answer all questions raised by Devendra Fadnavis. I am not scared of anything. Lies are not part of Hindutva. When needed you hug us and when not needed you leave us. You tried to keep us away."

Thackeray, who was unanimously chosen as chief ministerial nominee and the leader of the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP coalition 'Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi', also thanked Sonia Gandhi and Sharad Pawar for supporting him. "I had never dreamed of leading the state. I would like to thank Sonia Gandhi and others. We are giving a new direction to the country by keeping faith in each other," Thackeray said.

Thackeray has been chosen as the leader and chief ministerial candidate of the 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' alliance comprising the Shiv Sena, the Congress and the NCP. The resolution proposing Uddhav Thackeray's name as the CM candidate and leader of the alliance was passed unanimously by all MLAs during a joint meeting of the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. NCP chief Sharad Pawar presented a bouquet of flowers to Uddhav Thackeray after being chosen as the leader of the coalition.

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The representatives of the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP alliance will now meet the Governor and stake claim to form the government. The swearing-in ceremony of Uddhav Thackeray will be held on December 1 at Shivaji Park in Mumbai, Sharad Pawar said. "Three representatives of 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' will meet the Governor today. Swearing in ceremony to be held at Shivaji Park, Mumbai on December 1," the NCP chief said.

Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil proposed Thackeray’s name as "the (next) chief minister". State Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat seconded the proposal. The meeting was attended by NCP chief Sharad Pawar, senior party leader Praful Patel, Congress leader Ashok Chavan, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana’s Raju Shetti, Samajwadi Party’s Abu Azmi, MLAs of all these parties and others.