In perhaps the bitterest war of words that he indulged with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday threatened to walk out of the BJP-led alliance Government if the Fadnavis administration continues to conduct itself in an “arrogant” manner.

Immediately after an emotional Sena Minister Eknath Shinde announced his resignation from the Maharashtra Cabinet in protest against the harassment of the Shiv Sainiks by the police controlled by the BJP-led Home Ministry, Uddhav, said: “Eknath, I am advising you not to be in a hurry (to put in your papers). I am not going to accept your resignation. But, if I am convinced that this Government is behaving in an arrogant manner, I will withdraw my party’s support to this Government and bring this Government onto the streets”.

As the campaign for the November 1 KDMC polls ended in the evening, the gulf between the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena – which are contesting the civic polls separately – widened further, with Uddhav and Fadnavis exchanging barbs at each other.  

Warning the police force against issuing externment notices to the Shiv Sainiks, Uddhav said: “I would like to tell the police machinery not to do the dirty work for the BJP. If you (police) want to really serve the BJP men, I would advise you quit the force and work in their houses. But, being in the force, if you are bent on issuing externment notices to our Sainiks, I would not keep till I extern this Government”.

Accusing Fadnavis of misusing the State Home ministry to harass Shiv Sainiks, Uddhav said: “Defeat stares the BJP in its face. The party knows full well it would not win the KDMC polls. That’s why the BJP is misusing the police force against the Shiv Sena. But, we will not tolerate this kind of misuse of the police force.”

Uddhav, who targeted Fadnavis all through his election speech, gave an ultimatum to the Fadnavis Government on the sky-rocketing prices of pulses. “There is a State Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Before any issue is taken up for discussion, I would like to have a concrete answer from the CM on bringing down the prices of pulses. I want the prices of pulses to come down before Diwali. I am not interested in hearing your empty assurances,” Uddhav said.

Hitting out at the BJP for its intimidation tactics, Uddhav said: “I advise you (BJP) not to take a position of confrontation against us. And do not come surging at us. You have seen 25 years of our friendship. But you have not seen the paws (claws) of the Sena tiger (Shiv Sena)”.

In his response to Uddhav’s criticism of the Fadnavis Government for giving protection to Pakistanis coming to Maharashtra, Fadnavis slammed the Sena for its double-standards vis-a-vis Pakistan.