‘Once a traitor, always a traitor’: Uddhav slams chief minister Shinde

MUMBAI :  Calling Eknath Sinde, “a traitor who won’t change”, Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said. “They have stolen the Shiv Sena symbol. We will keep fighting and won’t lose hope. For now, let Shinde be happy with his theft. Once a traitor, always a traitor.” The EC decision would be “fatal for democracy”, Uddhav told reporters at his Mumbai home Matoshree that symbolises with Shiv Sena and founder of the party his late father Bal Thackeray. “Now the Prime Minister should announce from the Red Fort that democracy is dead,” Mr Thackeray told reporters in a packed hall at his Mumbai home, Matoshree. “The real bow and arrow are with us. They (Team Shinde) only have these on paper,” said Mr Thackeray, whose father Bal Thackeray founded the Shiv Sena. Uddhav also said he will approach the SC against the decision. “If a party’s existence is decided based on the number of MLAs and MPs, then any capitalist can purchase them and become the chief minister, Uddhav said comparing himself to Lord Ram.  His party spokesman Anand Dubey was also equally scathing and said: “The order is what we had suspected. We had been saying that we do not trust the EC. When the matter is sub-judice before Supreme Court and no final decision has been taken, this haste by EC shows it works as a BJP agent under Central Government.”