Uddhav Thackeray: Assembly polls is battle against Maharashtra haters

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray accused Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of “bowing” before Delhi and declared the upcoming assembly elections as a fight against those who “hate” the state. Speaking at a party workers’ gathering in Thane city, Shinde’s stronghold, Thackeray criticized the state government for enticing voters with the Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana scheme months before the October elections. He encouraged women to take advantage of the scheme while maintaining their self-respect.

Thackeray criticized Shinde for “bowing before Delhi,” emphasizing that the Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray’s legacy was about standing up to Delhi. He also asserted that the state assembly battle would be against those who dislike Maharashtra. Despite facing protests during the event, Thackeray did not address the incident in his speech.

Thackeray hinted that the elections might be held in November to maximize the ruling alliance’s benefit from the Ladki Bahin scheme. He reassured his party workers by calling them his ‘wagh-nakh’ and expressing his fearlessness towards challenges.