Shiv Sena president and Maharashtra’s former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday challenged the ruling party to conduct elections for Mumbai civic polls in the next 30 days and defeat them.
Describing the BJP as a divide and rule party, he exuded confidence that all the communities in Mumbai would certainly support their party in the forthcoming elections.
“For Mumbaikars, Shiv Sena is trust, support and development. Our relationship with them is unbreakable,” Mr. Thackeray said, while addressing the huge congregation of party functionaries at Goregaon here for the first time since Eknath Shinde's rebellion.
“Recently, Amit Shah asked his party to show the Shiv Sena its place in the BMC elections. I dare them to try it. One has to win the hearts of Mumbaikars to win the elections. Our relationship with them is unbreakable, and it has been proved time after time,” he said.
The former Chief Minister asked the BJP to tell the people what its contribution was in building the metropolis apart from considering it just as a piece of real estate. “For you (BJP) it is a piece of real estate, but for us, it is`mathrubhumi’ (motherland),” he said.
Further hitting out at the BJP for criticising him on dynastic politics, 62-year-old Thackeray said that he was proud of his family who took part in the`Sanyukta’ (united) Maharashtra movement. “I’m not ashamed of my family. You are my family, and I’m proud of it,” he said.
Earlier, he accused the BJP of ‘lying’ about the Vedanta-Foxconn semiconductor project which was moved to Gujarat. “Soon after the project moved to Gujarat, the Centre started giving huge incentives, which clearly means the move was already planned. Now, stop criticising us. Let’s come together and bring Vedanta-Foxconn back to Maharashtra,” he said.
Mr. Thackeray told the Shiv Sainiks that he would further speak at the party’s customary Dasara rally at Shivtirth on October 5, and also took note of a seat reserved for their MP Sanjay Raut, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Patra Chawl money-laundering case.
