Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, on Tuesday, appealed to people to overthrow the Congress governments in the state and at the Centre, saying they had ignored crucial issues like rising inflation, electricity shortage, corruption and Indo-Pak relations.

"Oust Congress and banish the darkness forever," the 86-year-old Sena patriarch said in a statement published in party mouthpiece Saamana in Mumbai.

Thackeray, who virtually announced retirement from public life in a video message at the annual Sena Dussehra rally in October, greeted people on Diwali.

"Overthrow the Congress governments in the state and at the Centre, which are a 'cancer'," he said.

The Sena chief flayed Congress governments for ignoring crucial issues like rising inflation, electricity shortage, corruption and Indo-Pak relations.

"Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde says all problems of the country would be solved by playing a cricket match with Pakistan," he said.

The Sena chief had on Monday said he was ailing but not on ventilator.

"I am feeling breathless, but I am not on ventilator," he had said.