Will ‘batenge toh katenge’ and ‘vote jihad’ solve people’s problems, asks Uddhav Thackeray

Thackeray said BJP leaders were resorting to slogans like “batenge toh katenge” because they have no answer to unemployment, the agrarian crisis and inflation

Mumbai: Two and a half years after his party was split and his government pulled down, former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has hit the ground running to take his revenge. He has been travelling across Maharashtra, appealing to the people to teach a lesson to the “traitors” who defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s side and those who orchestrated the Eknath Shinde-led rebellion in 2022.

Uddhav Thackeray brushed off concerns that his party would weigh down the alliance, which also comprises the Congress and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).(FILE PHOTO)

In an exclusive interview with Shailesh Gaikwad on Saturday, Thackeray said BJP leaders are using polarising slogans like “batenge toh katenge” (If we are divided, we’ll be hacked) and issues like “vote jihad” only to avoid answering the people on issues such as unemployment, inflation, and the agrarian crisis. The Maha Vikas Aghadi’s priority, he said, is to remove the “anti-Maharashtra” government. Excerpts from the interview:

The mood one could see during the Lok Sabha polls is not visible now. Do you think the MVA lacked in effort compared with the Mahayuti, which is pulling out all the stops?

The mood has changed–it is better than the Lok Sabha polls [for us]. People have already decided. I see it clearly when I address rallies. When I raise issues, people react even before I complete my sentences. This means what we want to tell them has already reached them. They have made up their minds and decided whom to vote for. After the Lok Sabha, people are confident they can remove this government from office.

There was too much bickering within the MVA over seat-sharing. State Congress chief Nana Patole also said that the MVA wasted time in seat-sharing talks, because of which the allies now have to take extra efforts to reach people.

Did you see the bickering in the Mahayuti? I wonder what happened in the Mahayuti after running a government together for two and a half years. As far as efforts are concerned, even [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi and [Union home minister Amit] Shah are toiling. All of us have to make an effort during elections.

In the past few days, the BJP has been raising the issue of “vote jihad”, and then there are slogans like “batenge toh katenge”. How do you react to it?

They have been raising this “batenge toh katenge” slogan often used by Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Aditynath. When were Hindus divided? I was chief minister for two and a half years. Did a single Hindu get hacked in Maharashtra during my tenure? Delhi saw communal riots, but not Maharashtra. It might be happening in Yogi Adityanath’s state. And if it happening there, is he worthy to continue as chief minister? It’s 10 years since Modi became prime minister, and if you still want to use “batenge toh katenge”, it tells a lot about your performance. This is all being done because they have no answers to problems such as unemployment, the agrarian crisis, and inflation.

Union home minister Amit Shah and other BJP leaders are accusing you of appeasing Muslims.

They should tell me when the purchase price for soybean and cotton will be increased. What are they doing about inflation? When are they giving jobs to the youth? These issues are related to people’s lives. Why did they shift industries from Maharashtra to Gujarat? Why don’t they speak on this “Maharashtra lootenge” (Loot Maharashtra) first? Let the election be held on these issues. Will “batenge toh katenge” and “vote jihad” solve the people’s problems?

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar recently spoke about meetings held at Gautam Adani’s home in 2019 to form a BJP-NCP government…

What was the motive behind efforts to pull down my government? They can’t see Mumbai as the financial capital. They shifted important industries, corporate houses, the diamond market, and the international financial centre to Gujarat. They even looted the Mumbai civic body’s treasury. There were fixed deposits of ₹90,000 crore. They dipped into this reserve. They have given work orders of close to ₹3 lakh crore to contractors. Where is this money coming from? Everybody knows where the contractors are coming from and whose pockets they are filling. It’s the same with Dharavi [redevelopment].

There is apprehension among your allies that your party may prove to be a weak link. It may win fewer seats, which can affect the MVA’s tally.

I am not an astrologer. In fact, I don’t believe in astrology. I believe in hard work. People will vote for whom they trust. I trust people. Why worry about that?

Earlier, you insisted on deciding the MVA’s chief ministerial candidate beforehand to avoid competition between allies. Now, even the BJP’s national leaders say that it’s not just the vote tally but the overall political situation that would be considered when deciding the chief ministership. Would you tell your allies to adopt a similar approach?

What is happening within the BJP? Amit Shah says [deputy CM Devendra] Fadnavis will be chief minister. Is it acceptable to Maharashtra? Is it acceptable to Mindhe (what Thackeray calls Shinde) and Ajit Pawar? In fact, are they even forming the government? It is ok with Ajit. He is the permanent deputy CM. We three parties are together. Our priority is to stop the looting of the state and kick anti-Maharashtra people out of power.

Your party colleagues feel there was injustice with you and that you should be back as chief minister.

That’s true. There was injustice with me.

So, you have some unfinished business to deal with and, hence, want to return to the sixth floor of Mantralaya?

I became chief minister unexpectedly. Then, Covid happened unexpectedly during my tenure. Everybody knows how I handled Covid– by treating the entire state as my family. Even while dealing with the pandemic, I waived off farmers’ loans, started the Shivbhojan Thali (meal for the poor for ₹10), MoUs were signed for new industries. They pulled down my government with the help of traitors because they wanted to loot Maharashtra. I want to stop that.

This seems to be a complex election with six parties, several small parties and many rebels contesting. Even your brother’s party is supporting the BJP. Could there be a fractured mandate?

Even if there are six parties in the fray, the fight is clearly between those who love Maharashtra and those who are anti-Maharashtra or traitors of this state. I think people are also clear about this. For me, all those who are supporting the traitors are anti-Maharashtra people. Those who are trying to split our votes are also anti-Maharashtra.

Do you see a realignment of political forces once again in case there’s a hung house?

I don’t see any such possibility. For me, it is clear: either you are with Maharashtra or against Maharashtra. I am standing with those who are with Maharashtra. There won’t be any change in my stand.