MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, who began his three-day tour of the constituencies of his former MPs who recently defected to the ruling Shiv Sena, on Friday launched a scathing attack at Yavatmal-Washim on both its defector MP Sanjay Deshmukh and the BJP. Accompanying him on the tour were MPs Sanjay Raut and Arvind Sawant, MLA Aaditya Thackeray and other leaders.
In his rally speech, Thackeray declared sarcastically that the BJP, after “stealing MPs and MLAs” was now pilfering donations from the Ram temple at Ayodhya. Saying that Ram had been “politically captured” by the BJP, he added, “Ram is in the prison of the BJP. We need a BJP-mukt Ram, and our party will soon launch a movement for this.”
The Sena (UBT) chief accused MP Sanjay Deshmukh of betraying the voters’ mandate after getting elected against the BJP-led alliance. “Changing parties after getting elected has become a business now,” he said. “These people are traitors. They won the election by defeating the candidates of PM Narendra Modi and later switched sides. It’s not just the traitors; the BJP too is answerable for this.”
Thackeray ordered his party workers to confront Deshmukh who, he pointed out, had betrayed not just the party but also those who worked hard for him and secured his victory despite the odds. Declaring that his party remained strong due to the loyalty of its grassroots workers, Thackeray also tendered an apology for selecting “the wrong man” for the Lok Sabha election.
Flinging an indirect challenge at Deshmukh, the Sena (UBT) chief also indirectly announced the candidature of Siddharth Deole, who fought the 2024 assembly elections from Washim. “Siddharth Deole, you fought the assembly elections and secured over 100,000 votes,” he said. “Now start preparing for the next Lok Sabha election. With support from the party and people, you can win.”
Thackeray came down heavily on the Ram temple donation misappropriation case. “Babur’s men demolished the Ram temple centuries ago,” he said. “These BJP leaders looting the new Ram temple are nothing but descendants of Babur. They have betrayed Hindu sentiments and Hindutva.”
The Sena (UBT) chief also announced that he would stand his ground come what may. “As long as Shiv Sainiks stand with me, nobody can finish Thackeray and the Shiv Sena,” he said. “I will not give up. I will fight.”
