'Need your support to ensure Maharashtra's identity, democracy isn't lost'

On the last day of campaigning for the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 on Monday Shiv Sena UBT Uddhav Thackeray made an emotional pitch before voters pictwittercomHPMUqMU9M0mdash ShivSena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray ShivSenaUBT_ November 18 2024In a video on his partys handle on social media platform X Thackeray appealed to voters to step out on Wednesday and burn the anarchy and lawlessness in the state with the power of their vote from the mashaal flaming torch which is the partys political symbolToday I have come to you to ask for justice not just for me but for us and for our democracy Twoandahalf years ago with your blessings my government was in power We have all seen how our government was brought down and another regime against our wishes came to power due to which we are all suffering Its been twoandahalf years since I have been asking for justice from the courts I have still not got it Justice delayed is justice denied Considering I did not get justice from the courts I have come to the biggest court which according to Lokmanya Tilak is the court of the people the former Chief Minister CM saidThackeray accused the faction headed CM Eknath Shinde of stealing his party They stole our party party name symbol and even Balasahebs photo However they couldnt take away your love blessings and trust for me Because of this I am fighting anarchy and to protect democracy For this I need your support as I am not fighting for myself but for the countrys democracy Its to save Maharashtras identity he claimedIn the threeminute video Thackeray went on to slam the Mahayuti and said They are looting Maharashtra They are making the state a ghulam slave How can we let that happen Thus everybody must step out with their family members and ensure that our candidates win by a huge margin Our symbol is the mashaal Remember this is Balasahebs mashaal Use it to destroy anarchy with the power of your voteA day earlier in a rally at Mumbais BKC Ground Thackeray alleged that the NITI Aayogrsquos plan to develop the Mumbai Metropolitan Region MMR is a deliberate attempt to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra by undermining the importance of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC Ploy to separate Mumbai from MaharashtraAccording to news agency PTI while speaking at a rally at the BKC Ground in Mumbai a day before the campaigning for the assembly elections concluded Thackeray pledged that if the Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA came to power it would scrap the Memorandum of Understanding MoU signed between the World Economic Forum WEF and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority MMRDA as the agreement aimed to diminish the importance of the BMCI wouldnrsquot hesitate to disband the MMRDA if it tries to encroach on the BMCrsquos jurisdiction Thackeray saidHe stated that the conspiracy to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra is a serious and imminent threat and not just loose talk The ploy is real but we will never allow this to happen he addedAccording to PTI Thackeray further claimed that MMRDA and WEF had signed an agreement in September to develop the metropolitan region as a global economic hub which followed NITI Aayogrsquos report on development The NITI Aayog blueprint diminishes the importance of the Mumbai civic body and that is a clear attempt to separate the capital from Maharashtra he assertedThe former chief minister also vowed that the first action of an MVA government would be to cancel the policies of the Mahayuti government that had handed over Mumbairsquos land to the Adani GroupI am not antidevelopment but I am antidestruction Thackeray said distancing himself from allegations of hindering growth