Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday called former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray a betrayer whose faction of Shiv Sena must be defeated in the upcoming Mumbai civic body polls, reported The New Indian Express.

“You can tolerate anything but not tolerate betrayal by anyonem” Shah said, while addressing BJP workers in Mumbai. “Everyone knew how Uddhav Thackeray cheated us in 2019. Those who betrayed us should be punished and lessons should be taught to them.”

Shah was referring to the tussle between the Shiv Sena and the BJP in 2019 over the chief minister’s post. While Shiv Sena had claimed that the outfits agreed to share the top post that was then occupied by BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis, the saffron party had denied the claims.

Following the rift, the Sena severed ties with the BJP and formed a government with the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress.

Thackeray was ousted as the chief minister in June after Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde rebelled against the Maharashtra government. Shinde was sworn in as the Maharashtra chief minister on June 30 with BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy.

On Monday, Shah said that Thackeray had not only deceived the BJP but also “betrayed the ideology and also insulted the mandate of the people of Maharashtra”, reported NDTV.

The home minister, who was in Mumbai to campaign for BJP’s civic body polls, said that the Shiv Sena broke the alliance just for two seats in state Assembly elections.

“They [Shiv Sena] defeated our candidates by fielding independent candidates or supporting rival candidates in elections,” Shah said. “Shiv Sena and BJP fought the elections together and sought the votes in 2019 on PM Narendra Modi’s name and work of erstwhile CM Devendra Fadnavis. But later they ditched us and formed a government with Congress and NCP.”

He said the Shinde-led faction represented the real Shiv Sena and was supporting the BJP, reported the Hindustan Times. “Eknath Shinde did not betray [you],” the home minister said. “Uddhav ji, it was you who betrayed your ideology... Eknath Shinde is standing with the original ideology of the Shiv Sena.”

Shah added, “The BJP should only have dominance in Mumbai. Party workers should work hard to show the place to Uddhav Thackeray.”

On Shah’s comments, former Shiv Sena Mayor Kishori Pednekar said that everyone knows which of the two outfits cheated.

“We have set out target ‘mission 150’ in BMC elections,” Pednekar added. “People are not concerned about their local issues. Our local party branches – Shakhas are working round the clock for the service of people.”