Uddhav Thackeray urges Ganesh mandals to maintain dignity amid political overtures

He drew a parallel between the upcoming Ganesh festival and political change: "After the Ganesh festival, it's time to immerse the Mahayuti government."

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray reached out to office-bearers and activists of Ganesh mandals in Mumbai on Thursday, urging them to maintain their dignity while accepting assistance from ruling party leaders. Thackeray drew a parallel between the upcoming Ganesh festival and political change, stating, "After the Ganesh festival, it's time to immerse the Mahayuti government."

Shiv Sena (UBT) party chief Uddhav Thackeray.(Raju Shinde/HT Photo)

In a scathing critique of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Thackeray accused the party of divisive tactics, contrasting their approach with that of Lokmanya Tilak, who he said "united people through the Ganesh festival". He charged the BJP with "dividing society and practising a divide-and-rule policy".

Addressing a coordination committee meeting of Ganesh Mandals in Mumbai's suburban area on Thursday evening, Thackeray sought to strengthen ties ahead of the assembly elections. He reminisced about the longstanding relationship between Shiv Sena, the Thackeray family, and Ganesh Mandals, citing collaborative efforts on social campaigns such as "Me Mumbaikar" and various health awareness initiatives.

Acknowledging the financial needs of the mandals, Thackeray cautioned, "Now, during the Ganesh festival, ruling party leaders will come up with various offers to help. It's a fact that mandals need financial and other assistance for their operations and celebrations. But while accepting help from them, don't compromise your dignity and don't sell your soul."

Thackeray seized the opportunity to criticise the current administration, stating, "Let's pray to Ganpati Bappa to give us strength to defeat this government, which is insensitive to women's safety and has engaged in corruption regarding the work on the statue of Shivaji Maharaj."

The opposition leader did not spare Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his government in his critique, referencing their handling of the Badlapur incident and the collapse of the Shivaji statue. "The government is missing everywhere, be it in Mumbai or the state. There's no one thinking about the citizens," Thackeray lamented.