MVA sounds poll bugle; Thackeray asks allies to pick name for CM’s post
Although Thackeray had earlier evinced keenness for the top post in the state, at the joint-party meeting he said, “There are leaders from Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) – declare any name and I will support them”
Mumbai: As the Opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) launched its campaign for the Assembly elections on Friday, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray demanded the coalition declare the chief ministerial candidate before campaigning takes off. Although Thackeray had earlier evinced keenness for the top post in the state, at the joint-party meeting he said, “There are leaders from Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) – declare any name and I will support them.”
Office bearers such as district chiefs participated in the meeting held at Shanmukhananda Hall. The elections are expected to be held in October-November.
While NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar did not respond to Thackeray’s statement, Congress state president Nana Patole said “we will take a call on this later”. Thackeray said he made the appeal to avoid unnecessary conflict within the coalition ahead of the elections. “I am not fighting for my benefit but for Maharashtra,” he said.
He also underlined that the policy to give the chief minister’s post to the party that wins the highest seats encourages an internal race to garner seats and a desire to defeat candidates of alliance partners. “I have experienced this in earlier BJP-SS alliance and I don’t want to experience it again,” said Thackeray.
Thackeray also expressed determination to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance as “they are looting Maharashtra; either they will survive or we will”.
“It is a battle to protect the pride of Maharashtra and its culture. Let us all as MVA throw them out of power,” he said, adding that the MVA government will protect temple as well as waqf lands. Likewise, Pawar urged all party workers of the coalition to work unitedly in the fight against the Mahayuti government. “All parties should work for the victory of the MVA candidate in your constituency,” he said.
Pawar also said despite taking a beating at the Lok Sabha elections, BJP remained a threat to democracy and the Constitution. He criticised prime minister Narendra Modi for not respecting protocols in the democratic system and allotting leader of opposition (LOP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi a back seat in the VIP area when he came to hear his speech at Red Fort on Independence Day.
“Prime minister Narendra Modi has no respect for parliament and constitutional institutions. No past government has treated the LOP in such a manner,” said Pawar.
Friday’s meeting was also attended by senior leaders like Balasaheb Thorat, former CM Prithviraj Chavan, Aaditya Thackeray, Sanjay Raut, NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule and PWP leader Jayant Patil.