Some MLAs want to return to Thackeray faction, says Aaditya

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Sunday claimed that some MLAs from chief minister Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena want to return to the Thackeray faction

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Sunday claimed that some MLAs from chief minister Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena want to return to the Thackeray faction. He, however, said they will not be given entry to the party fold.

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Thackeray was speaking at a gathering of party workers, ‘Shiv Garjana’, at Goregaon. He expressed confidence that the party will win the upcoming BMC elections.

“In the current session of the state legislature, many traitor MLAs met us and spoke to us in the lobby of the assembly. They asked me what was going on and also enquired if party president Uddhav Thackeray will accept them if they returned to the party. I told them not to return. We will not accept people like you,” he said.

Accusing the central and Shinde-Fadnavis governments for anti-democratic governance, he appealed for support to the honest and accommodative Hindutva of Uddhav Thackeray in the fight for democracy and safeguarding the future of the country and the state.

Attacking the Shinde-led government alleging blatant corruption, he remarked that now CM means corrupt manoos (Corrupt man) because the BJP leaders from various suburban areas were filing complaints against various works and projects. He alleged that the Shinde government openly demands money for transfer of officers. He also criticised deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis for defending MLA Sada Sarvankar in the incident of public firing from his gun and demanded that he should be punished.

“If you have guts come from the front and attack me. I will not attack but will ask only one question why you betrayed Thackeray who made you MLAs-leaders of Shiv Sena,” he said. He also dared Shinde and his team to hold elections.

Thackeray also held Shinde responsible for the bad quality of roads in Thane and Kalyan-Dombivli municipal corporation as these areas were in Shinde’s control. Thackeray announced that his party will start an inquiry into the 397-km cement road scam and would punish those who were involved in it.

He also criticised the government for failure to retain the proposed industrial investment in the state. He said, “Ideally, new investment should come to Maharashtra as they claim it has the blessings of Mahashakti of Delhi, but in reality, projects are going out of Maharashtra. Double engine government has failed in Maharashtra because the engine (Eknath Shinde) is not working and Deputy CM was making unsuccessful attempts to push the engine from behind.”

The Worli MLA underlined the development works done by the party in Mumbai, including the infrastructure projects, BEST bus, upgradation of BMC school and education quality and relief in property tax for the common man living in a house up to 500 square ft.

Former industries minister Subhash Desai, MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, MP Anil Desai and MLA Ravindra Waikar were present.