Uddhav Thackeray Pledges Support for Congress and NCP (SP) Chief Ministerial Candidate
In a meeting with MVA party leaders, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray emphasized that the alliance should announce its chief ministerial candidate before heading into the elections.
“Based on our past experience with the BJP, we believe that the party with the most MLAs in the alliance should not automatically get the CM post. We’ve seen in previous elections that, in their bid to win the most seats, parties often undermine their allies’ candidates. Therefore, I don’t support the idea that the party with the most MLAs should automatically claim the CM position,” he stated.
NEW DELHI: On Saturday, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut supported Uddhav Thackeray’s stance of backing any Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidate for the chief minister’s position. Raut dismissed suggestions that Thackeray’s stance was a pressure tactic, stating, “Uddhav Thackeray demonstrated great generosity by offering to support any MVA leader for the CM role.”
Earlier this month, Uddhav Thackeray, alongside his wife Rashmi and son Aaditya, embarked on a strategic three-day visit to New Delhi. The purpose of the trip was reportedly to engage in high-level discussions with Congress leaders in an effort to secure his nomination as the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s (MVA) chief ministerial candidate.
Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole weighed in on the matter, emphasizing that while the final decision regarding MVA’s CM candidate will be made by the top leadership, the alliance’s primary mission is to unseat the current MahaYuti government. Patole didn’t mince words in his critique of the BJP, accusing it of rampant corruption and alleging that “two leaders in Delhi” are treating Maharashtra as their personal ATM, siphoning off the state’s wealth.
He boldly declared that the Congress party is determined to dismantle the BJP’s hold on Maharashtra. “We will defeat the BJP alliance in the upcoming Assembly election, put an end to the ‘Modi-Shah ATM’ once and for all, and ensure that Maharashtra’s resources are returned to benefit its people,” Patole asserted. The upcoming election, he suggested, is not just a political contest, but a battle to reclaim the state’s autonomy and integrity from external manipulation.
In response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for a Uniform Civil Code during his Independence Day address, Uddhav Thackeray raised pointed questions about the PM’s commitment to Hindutva. “Has Mr. Modi forsaken Hindutva?” Thackeray asked. “You’ve allied with leaders like Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar, who don’t align with Hindutva principles.”
Thackeray didn’t stop there, criticizing the government for failing to pass the Waqf (Amendment) Bill despite holding a strong majority. He also threw down the gauntlet, challenging the Election Commission to announce elections in Maharashtra immediately.
Sharad Pawar, meanwhile, took aim at the Centre for showing disrespect toward the Leader of the Opposition by not seating Rahul Gandhi in the front row during the Independence Day celebrations.
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