Maharashtra Assembly elections: Uddhav Thackeray dares PM Modi to campaign in state for polls

Uddhav Thackeray. File Pic

The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come to Maharashtra to campaign for the BJP during the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, reported the PTI.

Assembly polls in state are likely to take place in October this year.

In Photos: Death toll climbs to 143 in Kerala landslide tragedy

3 months agoPHOTO GALLERY

PM Modi was made to sweat in Maharashtra during the recent Lok Sabha polls 202, Uddhav Thackeray said referring to the campaign undertaken by the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), in which his party is a constituent along with the Congress and the NCP (SP), according to the PTI.

"PM Modi must come to Maharashtra for Vidhan Sabha polls," he said while addressing party workers in Mumbai.

Uddhav Thackeray said that in the Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi had to come to Kalyan to campaign for Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's son Shrikant Shinde to defeat a small worker of his party.

Uddhav Thackeray expressed confidence that despite all odds like losing his party name (Shiv Sena) and symbol (bow and arrow) to the rival camp led by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, he will return to power.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won only 17 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. The BJP's seat tally came down significantly from 23 in 2019 to nine this year.

Uddhav Thackeray also accused the ruling Mahayuti alliance of looting Mumbai.

Uddhav Thackeray said that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was being financially weakened and its money was being diverted for other infrastructure agencies like the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Limited (MSRDC).

The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief said that after coming to power, the MVA government will scrap the MMRDA.

Only Centre can raise reservation limit by removing the 50 per cent cap: Uddhav Thackeray

Meanwhile, Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said that the state lacks the power to remove the 50% cap on reservations, asserting that only the Centre has the authority to raise the ceiling limit through Parliament, reported the PTI.

Uddhav Thackeray slammed the Eknath Shinde-led government over the vexed Maratha reservation issue and demanded deliberations with various sections to find a solution through mutual understanding instead of holding discussions only with politicians.

"The state does not have the right to increase the limit of reservations. It can be resolved in Lok Sabha. My MPs will back it (if any law is proposed to increase the 50% cap)," the former chief minister told reporters, as per the PTI.

"Everyone must go to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and he should decide (on resolving the reservation issue). Whatever it is (the decision), we will accept it," he said.

(with PTI inputs)