BJP opportunistic and dictatorial, says Uddhav

May 22, 2023 12:00 am | Updated 05:46 am IST - Mumbai

People are voting against the BJP wherever there is a strong Opposition party, and the BJP may resort to communal polarisation in the coming days to recover its lost ground, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray said. In his first media interview after the Supreme Court verdict, which held that the Maharashtra Governor’s direction for a floor test of his government in June 2022 was illegal, the former Chief Minister said “people were shocked that an illegal government” was in power.

In a no-holds-barred conversation at his residence ‘Matoshree’, Mr. Thackeray accused his former ally, the BJP, of being dictatorial, and opportunistic on questions of Hindutva. He said slavery was the same, regardless of who the master was — “the British or the BJP.” He, however, evaded a direct answer when asked whether he could partner with the BJP again. “The BJP should be asked this question. Why did they push me away?” he said. To another question he said: “There was no need for me to go with the Congress, but they [the BJP] pushed me.” Strongly defending his current alliance with the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party, the Sena leader said more regional parties were rallying together to unseat the BJP from power.

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