Playing out a clip of his taking oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister from Shivaji Park in 2019, Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday sent out both a message and a warning to his rivals as he delivered his annual Dussehra speech from the iconic Mumbai park.
A little over 10 km from the first venue, at Azad Maidan, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde delivered his Dussehra speech, comparing his former boss, Uddhav Thackeray, with the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM, suggesting Muslim appeasement politics.
The combative speeches come weeks before Maharashtra polls, which are to be held before November-end.
Recalling his rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership in June 2022, Mr Shinde said he freed the real Shiv Sena from the clutches of those who betrayed Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideals.
“Had the uprising not been carried out by us, true Shiv Sainiks would have been humiliated and Maharashtra would have gone back many years,” said Mr Shinde, accused the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government of blocking various development projects, saying that the state’s debt rose by Rs 17,000 crore due to the arrogance and stalling of the projects.
Uddhav Thackeray, during his speech, referred to Mr Shinde-led Sena as “duplicate”.
“Ratan Tata once told me that JRD Tata trusted him after seeing his work, and then handed over his legacy. He said Balasaheb also chose you (Uddhav) after he found you trustworthy,” Mr Thackeray said, recounting a conversation with the iconic businessman who died this week, underlining his claim on the party.
Taking aim at his former ally, Mr Thackeray said the BJP should be ashamed of calling itself “Bharatiya.” He also compared it to the Kauravas, accusing it of showing arrogance.
Accusing the ruling Mahayuti alliance of building Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue for votes and said if Maha Vikas Aghadi government comes to power after the assembly polls, he will build Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Mandir in every district of the state.
The statue, which collapsed eight months after it was built, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4 in 2023.
“This (Mahayuvti government) only built Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue for votes and that Satute fell, but I want to tell you and promise you that when we come into government I will build Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Mandir in every district of Maharashtra and around them we wrote the history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, yes, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is our God and I will build mandir, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is vote bank from them and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is my god,” Mr Thackeray said.
