Oppn kept forecasting government's fall but we only grew stronger: CM Shinde

The opposition kept saying the government will collapse, but our government became stronger, Shinde said.Earlier in the day, Thackeray visited Kalyan, the Lok Sabha constituency of Shindes son Shrikant Shinde.In apparent reference to Thackerays Kalyan tour, Shinde said the former Maharashtra CM is running around now, but he would not have found himself in this situation had he done the running around earlier.What is your Uddhav Thackerays contribution to the Shiv Sena

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said opposition leaders kept talking about his government's imminent collapse, but it only grew stronger.

Shinde's remarks came days after state assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar in his ruling on disqualification petitions filed by the rival factions of the Shiv Sena held that Shinde's faction was the real Sena and not the one headed by Uddhav Thackeray.

Speaking at a rally here as part of `Shiv Sankalp Abhiyan', his party's initiative ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Shinde also said the Congress keeps speaking against the Ram temple in Ayodhya, and Uddhav Thackeray ''sits next to it'' (continues to be its ally). ''The opposition kept saying the government will collapse, but our government became stronger,'' Shinde said.

Earlier in the day, Thackeray visited Kalyan, the Lok Sabha constituency of Shinde's son Shrikant Shinde.

In apparent reference to Thackeray's Kalyan tour, Shinde said the former Maharashtra CM is running around now, but he would not have found himself in this situation had he done the running around earlier.

''What is your (Uddhav Thackeray's) contribution to the Shiv Sena? It is the common Shiv Sena workers who sacrificed their families to build the party. How many cases have been registered against you, how many times have you faced (police's) baton-charge?'' Shinde asked.

His revolt against Thackeray and toppling of his government was a daring act, the chief minister said.