Not blood, but ideology determines the heir, says Eknath Shinde

Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday (June 19, 2026) alluded to more defections from Shiv Sena UBT, saying that what has happened so far is merely a trailer. “The picture is yet to come,” he said. He was speaking at the 60th foundation day of Shiv Sena at the NESCO Ground in Mumbai. Taking a potshot at Shiv Sena UBT leader Uddhav Thackeray, he said that the party belongs to Shiv Sainiks.

“Balasaheb Thackeray’s true heirs are my Shiv Sainiks. Succession is not determined by blood relations but by ideology. Shiv Sena is not a piece of land; it is the ideology of millions of people,” he said. Expressing gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, he said that the duo had fulfilled Balasaheb Thackeray’s dream by building a Ram Temple at Ayodhya and by abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution.

Mr. Shinde said that in a year which marks the birth centenary year of Balasaheb Thackeray, Shiv Sena had emerged as the second-largest party in Maharashtra. He credited ordinary Shiv Sainiks for taking the party to every village. Targeting the UBT faction, he said that those suggesting certain parties should merge with Congress should first introspect about their own declining strength.

Taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he said that wherever Rahul Gandhi goes, defeat follows.