New Delhi, June 20 -- Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray said on Friday that he would resign from his post if any allegations against him were proven, while asserting that he would never allow the Shiv Sena to be "handed over to any thief." He dismissed allegations attributed to six rebel MPs claiming they feared the party could merge with the Congress, and maintained that the unified Shiv Sena has always stood for Hindutva and the sons of the soil ideology.

In his first remarks on the party's looming split for the second time in four years, he mentioned on Friday that the Shiv Sena was never founded with the intention of merging with any other party.

Speaking to party workers on the Shiv Sena's 60th foundation day, Thackeray stron...