'If CM Has Any Morals Left, He'll Resign': Uddhav Thackeray on Shiv Sena Verdict

Stating that the Supreme Court has passed adverse comments against the governor and the Election Commission of India, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that the CM Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis should resign if they have any morals left and should face elections.

"Looking at the way the governors are being treated as house servants, we need to ask whether this post should exist at all," he further said.

Dealing with the batch of petitions filed by two warring factions of Shiv Sena last year, the Supreme Court gave its judgment on Thursday, 11 May. The five-member constitution bench of the Supreme Court refused to order status quo ante in Maharashtra.

The Court also refused to adjudicate on the matter of disqualification of 16 MLAs, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who were the first ones to rebel against then party leader and CM Uddhav Thackeray. The Court pointed out that the speaker of the house is the right authority to take a decision on this matter.

Stating that even though the speaker Rahul Narvekar will adjudicate the disqualification matter, the "Supreme Court has disallowed the whip of the defectors who was appointed by the speaker. Therefore, the whip will be from my Shiv Sena only," said the former CM.

The Court observed that since Uddhav Thackeray had resigned on his own, the then governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was right in calling Eknath Shinde to form the government at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

However, the court had called the governor's action to call for a floor test "illegal."

'Needn't Tell Who Was More Ethical': Eknath Shinde

Responding to Thackeray's comments, Shinde retorted,

"The elections were fought by the BJP and Shiv Sena in alliance. But the government was formed with someone else – for power, for chair ... I needn't tell you who was more ethical in their actions."

"In its decision today, the Supreme Court has buttressed the fact that this is a majority government, it is legal and constitutional. This is people's government. And therefore I whole-heartedly welcome the Court's judgment," he further stated.

'Thackeray Has No Right to Speak About Morality': Devendra Fadnavis 

Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis too took objection to Thackeray's comments about morals. He said,

"I saw Uddhav Thackeray's press conference today. I don't usually but I saw it today. In that he said that he resigned on the grounds of morality. My question to him is, when you were elected with the support of the BJP but decided to go with Congress-NCP, in which box had you locked this morality? Please answer this. You should not talk about morality. Because you left your ideology for the chair while Shinde left his chair for the ideology. Shinde was in power but decided to come to the opposition party. Therefore, you don't have the right to talk about morality."

'My Actions Were Well-Thought-Out': Bhagat Singh Koshyari

Former governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, whose actions during the Shinde rebellion were under the Supreme Court's scanner, refused to address the Court's adverse comments against him directly. He told mediapersons,

"I am no longer the governor. It's been three months. And I keep myself far away from political matters. And the matter that was in the Supreme Court, the Court has given its decision on that matter. The ones who are legal experts, they will express their opinion on that decision. I am not a law student, I only know constitutional traditions and legislative traditions. According to that, whatever steps I took at that time, they were well-thought-out. When someone's resignation came to me, what was I supposed to say – that you don't give your resignation?"

'Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied': Sushma Andhare

Another Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare wrote on her Facebook page, "Justice delayed is justice denied."

She further wrote, "The party president's resignation was in consonance with the political culture here. It was also correct on the grounds of judicial ethics. Whatever may be the observations of the court, the decision taken by the party president listening to his inner voice and conscience was correct yesterday and seems correct today to all of us even after the honourable court's comments."