After Aaditya, Uddhav takes on ally BJP over unfulfilled promises
MUMBAI: After Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray set a deadline for the Shiv Sena to quit the BJPled Maharashtra government, party chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday questioned the need for them to continue supporting the BJP if the latter can’t fulfil promises made to the people of the state.
On Thursday, Aaditya, while addressing a public meeting in Ahmednagar, had said the Sena will quit the government next year and come to power on its merit. Speaking to reporters at Matoshree, the Thackerays’ home in Bandra, on Saturday, Uddhav echoed his elder son’s views and slammed the Maharashtra government for failing to implement the farm loan waiver and tackle rising unemployment in the state. “Despite being in power, issues such as implemen- tation of farm loan waiver, power outages, new power connections, rising unemployment are not resolved. Then why should we continue to support the BJP?” Thackeray said.
Referring to the Sena’s victory in the Thane Zilla Parishad polls, in which the party won 26 of 53 seats on Friday, Thackeray said the “Thane formula” will give a new direction and that the party’s flag will flutter all over the state.
Senior Sena leaders said as part of a plan to walk out of the government, the party has started mobilising its workers in cities and rural Maharashtra.
Thackeray, who undertook a tour of western Maharashtra last month, urged farmers, small business owners to speak up against the government. Thackeray is likely to lead a protest march of farmers and small business owners in Mumbai in January 2018.
On the criticism that the Sena plays a dual role while being in power with the BJP, Thackeray said, “Shiv Sena does not change once they come to power. We continue to work for the people. People shouldn’t tell us what to do.”
However, the BJP is confident that its junior partner in the government will not dare to pull out of the government.
Calling it a “farce”, a senior BJP functionary said, “They will not pull out and the Maharashtra government will complete its full term.”