In a boost ahead of the crucial Maharashtra State Assembly elections, Uddhav Thackeray of Shiv Sena (UBT) received significant support from Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of the Jyotish Peeth in Uttarakhand, who stated that Thackeray is a victim of betrayal.

“Uddhav Thackeray has been betrayed and many people are anguished by it. I met him today as per his request and told him that people’s pain won’t subside till he becomes the chief minister again,” he told reporters after meeting Thackeray. Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati attended a puja ceremony at the Thackeray family’s Matoshree bungalow in Mumbai.

Betrayal is the biggest sin, Shankaracharya,  adding, “The one who betrays can’t be a Hindu. The one who tolerates betrayal is a Hindu. “The entire populace of Maharashtra is anguished by the betrayal and this was reflected in the recent (Lok Sabha) elections,” he said. “We don’t have anything to do with politics, but we are talking about betrayal which is a sin as per religion,” he added.

Uddhav Thackeray was forced to resign as Maharashtra Chief Minister in June 2022 after Eknath Shinde led a rebellion, taking a majority of Shiv Sena MLAs with him and forming a government in alliance with the BJP, subsequently becoming the Chief Minister.

The Shankaracharya had turned down the invitation to the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya. Now, his blessings to Thackeray come as a major embracement to BJP which is portraying Thackeray and his Sena as “ anti-Hindu”.

 “I will not comment on the statement; I am not in a position to do so. But it is clear in Mumbai and Maharashtra that Uddhav Thackeray has abandoned Hindutva. To appease certain vote banks, he has forsaken Hindutva and Balasaheb’s ( Bal Thackeray’s) principles” said BJP MLa Ashish Shelar.

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