As Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray is set to address a rally in Aurangabad on Sunday amid the row over loudspeakers in mosques, Shiv Sena chief and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray too has decided to embark upon a political outreach campaign by addressing a rally in Mumbai on May 14. He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of dividing Hindus for the sake of votes.
Kicking–off the second phase of the ‘Shiv sampark abhiyan’ by addressing party leaders on Saturday, Mr. Thackeray directed his colleagues to start working for the upcoming local body polls.
Slamming the BJP, Mr. Thackeray said, “They have a typical way of functioning. Just like they did to others in West Bengal and Kerala, they are trying to portray us as anti–Hindu. Mamata didi defeated them by winning more seats. We always say Maharashtra shows the way to the country. Now it is time to do that again. Understand the BJP’s game–plan. Division among Hindus and creating Marathi versus non–Marathi narration is that ploy.”
Recalling the historical events at the time of the formation of Maharashtra, Mr. Thackeray said it was Jan Sangh which created fractures in the Samyukta Maharashtra committee. “They have no love for Marathis or Hindus. They are concerned about themselves and their votes.”
Asking his party workers to meet people and travel across all parts of the State, Mr. Thackeray said he too would be travelling in the State. “I recently underwent a critical operation for the sole reason to travel in the State, to be with my party workers.”
The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) too has planned a “booster rally” on May 1 in Mumbai’s Somiaya Ground which will be addressed by former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The BJP and the MNS are likely to join hands against the tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the upcoming civic polls.
