Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday termed the assembly speaker Rahul Narwenkar’s verdict validating the former’s faction as the real Shiv Sena as the victory of democracy.

While speaking to the reporters, Shinde said that the result has been given on merit and majority.

“It is ‘Satyamev Jayate’. Truth has won…This result has been given on merit. Majority is very important in democracy and hence the decision given by the Speaker today is the victory of democracy,” news agency ANI quoted Shinde as saying.

Taking a dig at his rival and predecessor Thackeray, the CM said the verdict is a lesson for those who trample upon ideals and resort to unnatural alliances.

Narwekar in a landmark verdict ruled that Shinde’s faction was the real Shiv Sena and dismissed the petitions filed by the UBT faction. He also said that Thackeray had no right to remove Shinde as the leader of the legislature party as according to the constitution of the party, the national executive was the supreme body and not the paksha pramukh.

State’s deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also asserted that there is now no reason to doubt the stability of the BJP-Sena-NCP government.

“After the order given today by the Speaker citing various rules, there is no reason to doubt the stability of the government even now. I repeat this government will complete its tenure! I heartily congratulate Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his colleagues,” Fadnavis said in a post on X.

Meanwhile Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction leaders denounced the verdict and said that they will challenge the order in the Supreme Court.

Former chief minister and UBT faction chief Uddhav Thackeray said that the verdict is a murder of democracy and an insult to the Supreme Court’s guidelines.

“I think the Assembly Speaker did not understand the mandate — what he was asked to do. It was a simple case of disqualification. The Supreme Court laid down a framework but the Speaker thought he was above the Supreme Court and came up with his own court and verdict,” Uddhav said. “Probably, he did not understand or there were orders from the top,” Thackeray said.

In 2022, Shinde with around 40 MLAs rebelled against Thackeray that lead to a split in the Shiv Sena. Shinde eventually joined hands with BJP. Shinde was made the chief minister while BJP’s Fadnavis settled for the deputy CM post.