Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday, 19 June declared at the party's 60th Foundation Day rally in Mumbai that he would step down from the party presidency without hesitation if grassroots workers asked him to — directly challenging accusations that he is clinging to power amid a fresh rebellion by six Lok Sabha MPs.

The Gauntlet Thrown at Sainiks

Addressing thousands of party workers, a visibly emotional Thackeray placed his leadership mandate squarely in the hands of the rank-and-file rather than parliamentary arithmetic. 'I didn't enter politics to hold onto positions by force. As long as the lakhs of grassroots Shiv Sainiks standing before me want me to lead, I will continue to fight. But the moment you, the true workers of Balasaheb's Sena, tell me it is time to go, I will step down from the party presidency without a moment's hesitation,' he declared.

The move was a calculated political manoeuvre — by anchoring his legitimacy in the loyalty of ordinary Sainiks rather than in elected numbers, Thackeray sought to isolate the rebel faction and reinforce his emotional bond with the party's traditional voter base ahead of crucial Mumbai municipal elections.

Rebellion and Defections

The Foundation Day address came amid reports of a fresh fracture in the Thackeray camp, with six lawmakers reportedly breaking away. Thackeray accused the defecting MPs of negotiating behind closed doors for Union Cabinet berths and switching allegiances for personal gain.

Apologising directly to the electorate in affected constituencies, he said: 'I apologise to the voters of the wards where this betrayal has taken place today. During the Modi wave, people voted for these individuals out of trust in us… But this time, nine of our MPs won without using Modi's face. Why this continuous horse-trading now? What more do you want to achieve? How power-hungry can one get?'

Attack on BJP and Shinde Faction

Thackeray launched a sharp offensive against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction, defending his decision to accept the Chief Ministership in 2019 as a consequence of the BJP's alleged betrayal on a power-sharing agreement.

He also pushed back against attacks on his family and their residence, Matoshree. 'Today, I am being targeted. My wife is being criticised, Aaditya and Tejas are being targeted. I accepted the Chief Minister's responsibility only because the BJP betrayed us. Is Matoshree only meant to suffer and bear the brunt? You get to become ministers, you become MPs, your children become MLAs — but Matoshree is expected to do nothing? We don't want such a setup,' he asserted.

Farmers, Welfare Schemes, and Political Corruption

Thackeray directed pointed criticism at the ruling alliance's governance record, drawing a contrast between political defectors allegedly receiving cash inducements and the distress of Maharashtra's farming community.

'Our party workers toil and sweat on the ground, while these people enjoy boxes upon boxes of cash (khoke). Farmers in the state are not getting a Minimum Support Price (MSP/Hami Bhaav) for their crops, but the 'support price' for defecting MPs seems securely fixed,' he said.

On farm loan waivers, he alleged the government's relief package was deceptive: 'Farmers are saying they would rather face death than accept such a fraudulent waiver.' He further alleged that the government had rolled back benefits for 80 lakh women under the flagship 'Ladki Bahin' scheme after using it as an election promise.

What Comes Next

The speech signals that Thackeray intends to fight the rebel challenge on emotional and organisational terrain rather than in the courts or through parliamentary numbers. With Mumbai's civic polls on the horizon, the Shiv Sena (UBT)'s ability to hold its Sainik base together — independent of its elected representatives — will be the defining test of his leadership strategy.