Shiv Sena (UBT) to challenge speaker's order in Supreme Court: Raut

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday said his party will challenge Maharashtra assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar's order holding Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led party as the real Shiv Sena.

Talking to reporters, Raut termed the order as a "conspiracy", and said it was a "black day" for the Marathi 'manoos'. He said doing this to the party formed by Bal Thackeray was a cruel thing that amounted to stabbing the Marathi manoos and Maharashtra in the back.

Speaker Narwekar on Wednesday held that the Eknath Shinde-led faction was the "real Shiv Sena political party" when rival groups emerged in June 2022. He read out his ruling on the disqualification petitions filed by Shinde-led Sena and the rival faction led by Uddhav Thackeray against each other's MLAs this evening.

"The order (by the speaker) has been received from Delhi, we do not accept it. This order is not according to law and the Constitution. It was BJP's dream to finish Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sena, but the Shiv Sena will not end like this. The order is a conspiracy. Will definitely go to the Supreme Court...our fight will continue in courts," Raut said.

He also challenged the BJP to hold polls.

Launching a blistering attack on Narwekar, Raut said the speaker has occupied the chair and is at Delhi's mercy.

"He is following orders from Delhi," the Sena (UBT) MP alleged.

"Who gave you the authority to hand over Balasaheb's Shiv Sena to thieves?" he asked.

The end of the leaders of those bursting crackers will be like that of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and people will not spare them, Raut added.