Uddhav leaves CM's official residence after offering resignation

Slogans of ‘Shiv Sena angaar hai, baki sab bhangar hai’ rent the air as Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray left Varsha and moved to his family bungalow Matoshree in Bandra.

Even though Thackeray left the official bungalow, the MVA partners - Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress - reiterated that there is no question of resigning and there was no threat to the government.

As Thackeray, accompanied by his wife Rashmi, sons Aaditya - who is the state Environment, Tourism and Protocol Minister and Tejas, a naturalist and researcher, left Varsha, thousands of Shiv Sainiks raised slogans and cheered him.

Many of them were seen breaking down and also appealed to rebel group leader Eknath Shinde to return.

Braving rains, the Shiv Sainiks thanked Thackeray and extended support to him. The Thackeray family was given a hero’s welcome when the convoy reached Matoshree. “It was an emotional moment,” said Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande.

Also read | MVA an 'unnatural alliance', Shiv Sena must walk out of it: Rebel leader Shinde

Along the route from Varsha to Matoshree, a large number of Shiv Sainiks had assembled and raised slogans like ‘Uddhav saheb Thackeray, tum aage bado…hum tumhare sath hai’ (Uddhav Thackeray, you forge ahead, we are with you), and showered flower petals.

In between, Thackeray stopped and thanked his supporters who waved saffron flags.

The security detail had a tough time controlling the crowd.

Thackeray got down from his car at Worli, which is part of the Marathi heartland and his son Aaditya's seat and at the Bandra end of Sea Link.

At Kalanagar junction near his home, there was sloganeering as the family reached reached Matoshree.

To cover a distance of a few minutes, it took around a couple of hours.

Not only was it a sort of show of strength but also the devotion among Shiv Sainiks towards their leader.

As Thackeray came out of the vehicle, his supporters pleaded not to resign and never spare the traitors.