Uddhav Removes CM Eknath Shinde as Shiv Sena Leader Over 'Anti-Party' Activities

In a letter addressed to Shinde, Thackeray said that the former had voluntarily given up membership of the party.

Uddhav Thackeray (left) and Eknath Shinde.

(Photo: Samarth Grover/The Quint)

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday, 1 July, removed the new Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde from the post of leader in the party.

In a letter addressed to Shinde, Thackeray wrote, "You have been indulging in anti-party activities and have also voluntarily given up your membership of Shiv Sena."

"Therefore, in exercise of the powers vested in me as the Shiv Sena Paksha Pramukha, I remove you from the post of Shiv Sena Leader in the party organisation," Thackeray added.

Uddhav Thackeray's letter to Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde.

While Shinde has claimed to be the leader of the Sena, arguing that Thackeray's camp is now in a minority, he has never claimed to be the party chief (Paksha Pramukh).

Earlier on Friday, Thackeray had said that Shinde could not call himself a Shiv Sena chief minister after 'abandoning' the party. "He is not a Shiv Sena chief minister. You cannot abandon Shiv Sena and claim to be a Sena chief minister," he said.

Thackeray had resigned as the chief minister of Maharashtra on Wednesday, 29 June, shortly after the Supreme Court allowed a floor test to be held for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, led by the Sena, to prove its majority in the Maharashtra Assembly.

The next day, Shinde was sworn-in as CM while BJP leader and former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the deputy CM.

The Shinde government is scheduled to prove its majority in the Assembly on 4 July. The speaker's election will be held on 3 July, the nomination for which will be filed on 2 July.

(With inputs from ANI.)