"You'll see what an injured tiger can do": Uddhav Thackeray hits back at Amit Shah

This comes after Amit Shah said the last Maharashtra assembly elections -- in which Shiv Sena (UBT) was wiped out -- will show Uddhav Thackeray his place.

Addressing a public meeting, on the occasion of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray's birth anniversary on Thursday, Thackeray said, "Amit Shah said that these elections will show Uddhav Thackeray his place. Okay, Amit Shah ji! You will see what an injured tiger and his claws can do. Don't mess with 'Marathi Manush'. We forced Aurangzeb to kneel down, who is Amit Shah?"

The former Maharashtra Chief Minister also challenged the BJP-led Centre of holding elections on ballot papers. He attacked the BJP over 'Hindutva' and said those spreading communal disharmony can't be Hindu.

"If you have any shame, keep EVM aside and hold elections on the ballot paper. Anyone who spreads Hindu-Muslim enmity, can't be a Hindu...Our Hindutva is clean," Thackeray said.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) suffered a crushing defeat in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, securing only 20 seats, while the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance registered a resounding victory with 235 seats.

Following the results, several Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders raised concerns over the 'legitimacy' of EVMs.

Earlier this month, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar dismissed calls for a return to paper ballots, calling the suggestion "unwarranted and regressive" and asserting that it is aimed to "derail" the election process.

In the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly election, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance emerged victorious with 235 seats, while Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party also made notable gains, with 57 and 41 seats, respectively.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, on the other hand, suffered a major setback, with the Congress winning just 16 seats, the Shiv Sena (Uttar Pradesh) 20 and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP securing just 10 seats. (ANI)