Shiv Sena-UBT President and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray expressed on Wednesday his skepticism about the longevity of the new NDA 3.0, predicting its imminent collapse due to inherent contradictions. He categorically ruled out any chances of reconciliation with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"The NDA government will fall… We want it to fall, and mid-term Lok Sabha elections must be conducted. The INDIA bloc will win and come to power," Thackeray proclaimed passionately during the party’s 58th Foundation Day.
Taking aim at the BJP, he highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's coalition includes Nitish Kumar of the Janata Dal-United and Chandrababu Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party, who have a history of mutual recriminations.
"They (Nitish Kumar and Naidu) have made substantial promises to Muslims and other sections in Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. Is this acceptable to the BJP and Modi… will they clarify their stance on it?" he demanded.
Responding to BJP's allegations that his SS-UBT alliance had forsaken Hindutva and only sought Muslim votes, Thackeray retorted, asserting that "all patriotic people in the country decisively voted for the INDIA-Maha Vikas Aghadi and SS-UBT, including Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Buddhists, and others who cherish the nation and uphold democracy and the constitution."
"You question our Hindutva just because we allied with the Congress… But first examine yourselves, how many of your allies champion Hindutva? Are Nitish Kumar and Naidu proponents of Hindutva by any measure?" he challenged.
Refuting rumors of a potential return to the NDA post-elections, Thackeray asked the crowd, "Do you wish to return to those traitors who split our party, usurped our name and symbol?" The resounding answer from the gathering was a definitive "no."
Without naming him directly, Thackeray criticized his estranged cousin and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray for extending "unconditional" support to the NDA, seemingly to undermine Uddhav Thackeray's position.
Directing his criticism at Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, he challenged him to contest Assembly elections without invoking the legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray or the Shiv Sena name and symbol, urging him to use his father’s images and "then demonstrate your success rate."
In response to Shinde's accusations of "urban Naxals" against the Opposition, Thackeray retaliated, stating that those who fracture parties, misuse federal investigative agencies, and intimidate the Opposition are the true "urban Naxals."
"The battle has commenced, and it will continue until final victory is achieved. We await the Supreme Court's decision on the disqualification matter… The hearings have been repeatedly postponed. I appeal to the SC to provide a timeline for its verdict. This isn't a personal feud but a sincere endeavor to safeguard the country's democracy and constitution," he asserted.
Looking ahead to the Maharashtra Assembly elections scheduled for October, Thackeray expressed confidence in the MVA's prospects of retaining power.
