Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for repeatedly targeting him and NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar and claimed that he is eager to reclaim the PM’s post instead of paving the way for the next generation.
Addressing an election rally in Thane to canvass for incumbent MP and his party candidate Rajan Vichare on Thursday, Mr. Thackeray called the contest a clash between loyalty and betrayal.
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The Shiv Sena, led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has nominated Naresh Mhaske for the Thane Lok Sabha constituency, which along with 12 other seats, including six in Mumbai, will vote in the fifth phase on May 20.
The contest in Thane is a prestige battle for Shinde, an influential leader from the region who split the original Shiv Sena in 2022 and aligned with the BJP.
However, Mr. Thackeray mainly focussed on Modi and his policies. He accused Mr. Modi of stirring controversies through his rhetoric and claimed that the BJP is shifting its narratives, from pledges of securing a majority to allegations of dynasty politics.
The Sena (UBT) hit out at Mr. Modi for repeatedly targeting him and Sharad Pawar. In his recent speeches, Mr. Modi had called Mr. Thackeray’s party “nakli Sena” and described Pawar as a “bhatakti aatma” (wandering soul).
Mr. Modi is eager to get back the PM’s post instead of paving the way for the next generation, he claimed.
Mr. Thackeray defended the coalition model, citing its past successes and contrasting them with the perceived stagnation under single-party rule.
Mr. Thackeray said Shiv Sena and Thane share a unique bond as the city gave the party a foothold in its early days, he added.
