Facing yet another rebellion in a party already split once before, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray used the party’s 60th Foundation Day celebration on Friday to signal that he was not backing down. In his first public address since six MPs rebelled against the party, Thackeray told workers gathered at Mumbai’s Shanmukhananda Auditorium that the party would continue to fight and rebuild itself despite the latest setback.

Thackeray apologised to the voters of the rebel MPs’ constituencies, who trusted Shiv Sena (UBT) and Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy and voted for the party despite the Modi wave. The Sena (UBT) leader said that after the split in his party, its workers were not demoralised, but instead charged and ready to rebuild the party.