Dream big in Maharashtra’s interest: Uddhav Thackeray to MVA rebels

Sawantwadi: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday appealed to Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) rebels to keep their personal ambitions aside and instead, dream big in the interest of Maharashtra.

Addressing a rally in coastal Sawantwadi in the Konkan region for Sena (UBT) candidate Rajan Teli ahead of the November 20 assembly polls, Thackeray said there can be a tug-of-war during seat-sharing talks but alliance partners eventually stay united.

“The Congress wanted some seats and even we were (inclined) for some more. But when we have decided to align with the larger interests of the state, we need to follow the coalition dharma.

“All our MVA partners are doing it. I want to appeal to (MVA) rebels still in fray not to help the ‘Maharashtra-drohi’ (anti-Maharashtra) elements,” he said, urging them to dream big in the interests of the state.

Sena (UBT) is a partner in the opposition grouping MVA, which also comprises the Congress and Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP).

In the Sawantwadi constituency, rival Shiv Sena headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has fielded minister Deepak Kasarkar against Teli.

The Shinde Sena is a constituent of the ruling Mahayuti with BJP and Ajit Pawar-headed NCP as its allies.

Thackeray also targeted Shinde, accusing him of blaming sea winds for the collapse of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Raigad fort in the Malwan taluka of Sindhudurg district in August.

“The Sindhudurg fort constructed by the warrior king has remained strong and sturdy braving sea winds for several centuries. People who blame sea winds for the collapse of Shivaji Maharaj’s statue should be ashamed,” Thackeray said.

The Sena (UBT) said when he became the CM in 2019, the first decision he took was to provide funds for the restoration of the Raigad fort and farm loan waiver, adding that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj “is not an EVM”.

“Had my government not been toppled, I would have again waived farm loans. But the Mahayuti remembered women and farmers only after the Lok Sabha election,” he said. Of the 48 seats in the state, the Mahayuti won only 17 in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year.

The Bal Thackeray-founded Shiv Sena vertically split in June 2022, resulting in the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray government, after Shinde rebelled against the party leadership and aligned with the BJP to become the CM.

Thackeray lamented that the people of Konkan did not give the desired support to his party.

“I appeal to you to put faith in the MVA so that Konkan can be led on the path of prosperity. Just like Mumbai is being given to the Adani group on a platter, the farmland and mines in Konkan can also be given to the group. We have to protect Konkan,” he claimed.

Thackeray said he had approved a multi-specialty hospital and funds for it when he was the CM but nothing happened in the past two-and-a-half years. “The Maharashtra state secretariat Mantralaya can also be shifted to Gujarat like the way projects are being sent (to the neighbouring state),” he said.

The opposition has repeatedly accused the BJP of diverting big-ticket projects from Maharashtra to Gujarat.

The coastal Konkan region accounts for 75 of the total 288 state assembly seats, including 36 in Mumbai.