Mumbai: Stating that he has no desire to snap alliance for ensuing elections to the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) and 9 other civic bodies, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday issued a veiled threat to his estranged ally BJP saying that he will not tolerate any “twisted” alliance deal.
Thackeray was addressing ‘Shivsainiks’ on the occasion of Shiv Sena’s 50th foundation day in Mumbai. As he broached the topic of MCGM elections, it evoked a strong chorus from the crowd “no alliance, let us contest alone”.
The Sena chief said that he would leave it to the judgement of the ‘Sainiks’.
“I will not tolerate any ‘twisted’ alliance deal,” he said.
Referring to the debate over holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, he took a dig at frequent foreign visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by saying, “It would be better if simultaneous polls are held or else it might create constant hurdles in someone’s foreign visits.”
On 50 years of the party’s journey, Thackeray said, “25 years of it went in stitching alliance with the BJP.”
A lion always moves with a pride, but a tiger always moves alone and hunts head-on, he said.
Lambasting NCP chief Sharad Pawar for advising Sena to leave (both state and Centre) government, he said that it was the NCP, which in order to avert split, had stayed in power for the last 15 years.
Clarifying that he was not criticising for the sake of it, Mr Thackeray said he had praised Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for his leadership.
However, referring to the rising prices of pulses, the Sena chief asked the chief minister to do something to at least bring some relief to common man if not ‘achche din’ (better days).
Speaking on the recent reports of alleged exodus of Hindus from Kairana in Uttar Pradesh, he reminded the BJP that it was in power at the Centre.
“In Kashmir too it (BJP) is now in alliance and what has it done to gives homes to those Kashmiri Pandits in that state,” he said.
Referring to the BJP wave in 2014, he said, “Even logs of wood float in water and flags waive in the wind, but it’s the saffron flag that keeps on fluttering even when there is no wind.”
Taking a swipe at the rivals, he said Sena has welcomed people from other parties, but it has always been “the party of originals”.
On critics terming Sena as regional, communal and narrow minded, Mr Thackeray said even (TMC chief) Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal is talking about regionalism when she says ‘Ma, Matti and Manoosh’.
He said like his father late Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, he too “was not desperate for power and would not compromise (for it)”.
Thackeray said that he joined power at the Centre and (in the) state as he did not want people to again fall prey to false promises.
PTI