Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Friday that the BJP was trying to finish all other parties and wanted only one party and no elections.
Speaking on the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the undivided Shiv Sena at Shanmukhananda hall, Thackeray apologised to the voters who elected the six MPs now said to be crossing over to the rival Shiv Sena led by deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde. “Nine of our MPs were elected against the Modi wave and without using Modi’s face,” he said.
In an emotional outreach, he offered to resign as Shiv Sena (UBT) party chief, and drew immediate protests from the gathering.
He said if MPs or MLAs were being poached “in this way by doing operations”, then “we will also have to implement Operation Kamal”. He said the country was moving towards anarchy and people were losing faith in democracy. “The BJP doesn’t have a two-third majority but two-third of the BJP is now full of other party imports,” Thackeray said.
He said he was not bigger than the Shiv Sena founded by his father, Bal Thackeray. “I have no desire for leadership, I am ready to step down as Shiv Sena chief if allegations are made. The only condition is that this golden Shiv Sena should not be given to robbers and traitors. Otherwise I’m not shaken, and will not get bogged down. I will stand like a mountain and fulfil my responsibilities,” he said.
Thackeray also hit back at the rebel MPs over their fear that the Shiv Sena (UBT) would merge with the Congress. “If for 30 years we were with the BJP and we did not merge with the BJP, how will we merge with Congress? So those who are saying this are lying,” he said.
It was Thackeray’s first public meeting after the recent rebellion by six Lok Sabha members of the party. His son, MLA Aaditya Thackeray, and wife, Rashmi, were present at the rally, as were MPs Sanjay Raut, Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai and Rajabhau Waje.
All the MPs still with Thackeray were felicitated at the event.
“Some people must be thinking we will lose hope, but we will not. Some people are saying give orders. Balasaheb has given order earlier (bury those who betray us). We should not judge our success with electoral results. Today I apologise to voters because they voted for us but our MPs left,” he said.
The moment Thackeray said he was willing to step down, the crowd chanted slogans asking him to continue as party chief.
“I am not a fortune teller, I do not believe in astrology at all. What will be the future of a country where the youth are called cockroaches? Elections are being won and positions are being obtained by doing whatever they want. Even if you have a majority and there are local self-government body polls, you do not want to let anyone contest from the other side. Why are you doing this? What are you going to do with the country after getting all this? (Former BJP president J P) Nadda had said that there will be only one party. They say ‘One Nation One Election’ … but their path is moving towards ‘One Party, No Election’. You have worked hard to get them (defecting MPs) elected. Now you should use your right to hold them accountable. Farmers donated money and these candidates won. Don’t wait for my order … , hold them accountable?” he said.
Thackeray said the issue of merging Shiv Sena (UBT) with the Congress was completely wrong. He said that on the contrary, a situation has arisen in which the BJP will now join Shinde’s Sena. “Shiv Sena was not born to merge. Rather, it was born for the rights and protection of the Marathi people and Hindutva. Congress also persecuted us. More than half of our life has been spent in enmity with the Congress. We had extreme enmity,” he said.
Thackeray also hit back at rebel MP Omprakash Rajenimbalkar, who said that if Thackeray could not campaign due to his ill-health, at least Aaditya Thackeray should step out to campaign.
“It was said that I do not meet (people), I do not travel. So if I was not coming to campaign, how did you (Rajenimbalkar) get elected? I had held many meetings in each constituency … , around 8-10 meetings for the Lok Sabha campaign. Then these people got elected. Where will you atone for these sins, how will you erase the stamp of betrayal from your forehead?” he said.
