Tussle, ego among alliance partners cost dearly for MVA in Maha polls: Thackeray

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said there is no point in the alliance partners coming back together if they do not rectify the past mistakes

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray in an interview to party mouthpiece Saamana has admitted that the infighting between three constituents of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and tussle for sharing of seats cost them dearly in last year’s assembly polls. He said that rather than the lack of coordination ,the success in the Lok Sabha election had gone to the head of the MVA constituents and they were fighting for the victory of themselves rather than the alliance.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray. (File Photo)

The first part of his interview with Samana’s executive editor and party MP Sanjay Raut was telecast on Saturday. Thackeray said that some defeats and the mistakes done (in the Assembly polls) should be accepted with responsibility. “EVM scam, electoral rolls, fake voters are the factors that have come into the public domain and are being talked about and there was impact of Ladki Bahin scheme. But there were other factors in the play too. We had a tussle for seats during Lok Sabha elections but we had given up constituencies that we had won four-five times as we had to win the Lok Sabha (polls). The booth level workers were alert. People voted against the conspiracy of scrapping the Constitution in Lok Sabha (polls). But when it comes to the smaller constituencies with cutthroat competition like Assembly, the tussle and squabble between the alliance partners began. It sent out a wrong message among the voters. During Lok Sabha we did not have symbols but knew who the candidates were. Contrary to it, we had symbols but did not know which seats to fight on and who were the candidates (during the Assembly polls),” he said.

Thackeray said those were the mistakes that need to be checked and there is no point in coming back together if they are not rectified. “During the Lok Sabha polls, there was a sense of belonging within the alliance but the egoism with selfishness replaced that scene in the Assembly polls,” he said.

He said that the MVA government had failed to take up the success of their government to the people despite tremendous performance during Covid-19 pandemic. Thackeray said that despite all odds, the Thackeray government did a good job during Covid-19 when governments in other states like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat failed. “Alliances are forged before elections to face elections and then form the government. The MVA had travelled the reverse path, as the three parties came together after elections. We could not take our performance in the government to the people in Assembly polls as other populist announcements like Ladki Bahin dole and increase in the amount were in the play. There was money pouring in the polls (from other sides), there is no doubt, but we failed to take our performance in loan waiver, Shiv Bhojan Thali, minimum support price, maintenance of law and order to the people.”

Thackeray also batted for the return to ballot papers like they take place in USA, Europe and other developed countries. He said that even Narendra Modi, before becoming the prime minister, had been advocating for the polls on ballot papers. Thackeray backed leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in his claim of rigging the election process. “The voter has the right to know as to where they voted. There is suspicion in the minds of the voters whether their vote has rightly gone to the candidate they voted for. In Bihar even Hindus are forced to provide their identity cards, and Aadhaar cards are not accepted for it. Does this mean the Aadhaar cards are fake? Is it not the NRC (National Register of Citizens) put in implementation?” he saod.

Thackeray said that the Modi government is taking the country to autocracy and the country is treading towards the ‘one party no election’ slogan. “They initially coined the slogan of ‘one flag, one Constitution, one leader’ during abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir, we liked it and supported it. Now they are saying, ‘one nation one election’ and it will be followed by ‘one nation one language’ and ultimately they will take us to ‘one party no election’,” he said.

Thackeray also attacked Shiv Sena chief and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde saying the latter has no option but to merge his party in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “He has been bowing before the Delhi leaders (Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah) as these types of leaders always remain as parasites. Amit Shah and the Election Commission tried to hand over our party to them, but they could not detach my people from me. The election commission can freeze our symbol if we have done anything unconstitutional, at times give it to someone else but they cannot hand over the party name, which was given by my father and grandfather to anybody else. The EC has no right to give party names to anybody else, but it is being done with the support from the people sitting in Delhi” he said.

Thackeray said that BJP rules the country and the states by maintaining uncertainty in the minds of the people by dividing them in caste, race and religion. “They are treading on the lines of British who would divide and rule, now BJP gives the slogan of Batenge Toh Katenge and divide people in the society. The poison was used in the Assembly polls in Maharashtra. The people of the country have now realised the Faultline in their politics and are disillusioned after the failure of giving jobs, industries in the last ten years,” he said.

He said that the brand Thackeray is the identity of Marathi Manoos, Maharashtra and Hindu pride and many from Delhi to Maharashtra tried to finish the brand. “They do not want anybody other than them in politics,” he said.