Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis should resign on moral grounds like I did last year, former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Thursday, ANI reported.

“Shinde won after murdering democracy,” said the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief, according to The Indian Express.

Thackeray made the remarks soon after the Supreme Court held that former Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari had erred in deciding that the Thackeray government had lost its majority after a group of Shiv Sena MLAs, led by Shinde, revolted in June.

However, the five-judge Constitution bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud also said that it cannot restore the Maha Vikas Aghadi government as Thackeray had resigned as the chief minister without facing a floor test.

On June 29, Thackeray had resigned as the chief minister and the Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising the Shiv Sena – then led by Thackeray – the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress fell hours after the Supreme Court refused to stay the vote of no confidence.

Shinde had rebelled against Thackeray, claiming to have the support of 39 of the 55 Shiv Sena MLAs and 10 Independent legislators. Koshyari had later invited him to form the new government.

On Thursday, Thackeray defended his decision to step down as chief minister and not face the no-confidence motion.

“According to the law, it might be wrong, but morally…why do I need to prove [the majority] to those [MLAs] traitors who betrayed me and my father’s party?” Thackeray asked, according to The Indian Express. “I don’t have to. They have no right to question me. They are traitors. They took everything from my party.”

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut said that the Supreme Court judgement has reinstated trust in democracy, reported PTI.

“Sunil Prabhu remains the official whip of Shiv Sena as per Supreme Court’s observations, so rebel MLAs stand disqualified,” he said.

SC’s decision proves my government is fully legal: Eknath Shinde

On the Supreme Court’s decision, Shinde said that the verdict proves that his government was formed legally, reported NDTV.

“Our government was formed with a majority,” Shinde said. “That’s why Thackeray had no other option but to resign. Now they say they can issue a whip. I want to ask how many people you [Thackeray] have with you.”

Fadnavis accused Thackeray of “leaving his ideology for power”, adding that he had resigned due to a fear of people deserting him, according to the news channel.

“Today Uddhav Thackeray said that he resigned on moral grounds,” he added. “You got elected in an alliance with BJP and then formed the government with NCP and Congress. In which box did you put your morality that time?”