Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday held a meeting in Bandra with party functionaries from across the State as part of its preparations for next year’s Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, Mr. Thackeray said, “The meeting was held to review the party’s inner organisation and leadership. I have been speaking with my party leaders from March and during my visits I have realised the necessity of holding joint meetings. So we asked all our leaders to gather today.”
Over the past month, Mr. Thackeray has chaired meetings with the party’s office-bearers in 42 of the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in the State and taken stock of preparations for the elections. This year, the Sena had announced that it would be fighting all future elections on its own. The party aims to contest all 48 LS seats and 288 Assembly seats.
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‘Not quitting alliance’
Mr. Thackeray said that his party had no intention of pulling out of its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party in the State government. He said, “We have worked for the people more than any other opposition party. When the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party alliance was in power, the then CM was criticised for policy paralysis. Did anyone then ask the NCP if it would be quitting the government? Why are we being asked the question now? We will continue working for the people.”
On August 31, the State government had appointed Sena leaders to fill almost half of the 21 vacant posts in various State-run corporations, boards and authorities. Mr. Thackeray said the party had “no expectations” regarding the appointments.
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Asks Hardik to end fast
He said he had called Patidar leader Hardik Patel, who is on a fast for the past 12 days to press for the community’s demand for reservations, and asked him to call off his hunger strike.
He said the BJP government in Gujarat did not have even an iota of emotion as it failed to initiate talks with Mr. Patel despite his fast. He said, “I asked him to call off the fast. Gujarat and his community need him. The government instead of talking to Pakistan should speak with the country’s youth.”
Mr. Thackeray expressed surprise over the Maharashtra Police’s decision to hold a press conference on the investigation into the Bhima-Koregaon violence despite orders from the Supreme Court that the case under judicial consideration. He said, “There seems to be a new trend of the police holding press conferences.”
‘Need proof, not charges’
The Sena chief said that it was unfortunate that the term ‘Hindu terrorism’ was being used even under the present government. He said, “Be it the Sanatan Sansthan or urban naxals, it is better to produce evidence than to just make allegations against people.”