Zee Media Bureau/Ritesh K Srivastava
Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said that his party will do everything to keep the Congress and NCP out of power in Maharashtra and in the other parts of the country.
Speaking to a private TV news channel, Uddhav said, “My focus is just to defeat the Congress-NCP combine, nothing else. We will do everything to keep them out of power.”
The Shiv Sena chief also expressed his displeasure over former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari`s recent meeting with his cousin and MNS party chief Raj Thackeray, which triggered speculation of a secret deal between the two parties ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
“Yes, I am upset with Nitin ji but there`s no enmity,” Uddhav said adding, “I don`t want to comment on his meeting with Raj.”
Further clarifying on his `vyapaari` comments in party mouthpiece `Saamna`, he said that Gadkari himself says he`s a businessman so there is nothing wrong in saying so.
Speaking about his cousin Raj, Uddhav said, “When he (Raj) quit Shiv Sena, he blamed me. So would he have returned with just a phone call from my side?
Uddhav also categorically stated that his joining hands with MNS has nothing to do with this elections, in an apparent reference to latter`s claim that MNS was close to sealing a deal with the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
“Whether we will come together or not has nothing to do with this elections,” he added.
Shifting the focus to his late father and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, Uddhav said, “We will always miss Balasaheb but I will work hard to ensure that his absence is not felt politically.“
Meanwhile, in Saamna`s latest issue, Uddhav has said that Shiv Sena will continue to oppose the "anti-national Muslims" who do not respect the country`s laws and create problems for people.
"Like my father Bal Thackeray, those Muslims who consider India their motherland, respect the laws of this country, don`t ignite riots and live amicably, we have nothing against them - as far as the others, they have no right to live in India," Thackeray wrote in his party journal.
When asked about how Hyderabad-based Muslim leader Akbaruddin Owaisi was spewing venom against Hindus by threatening to wipe out the majority (Hindu) community in 15 minutes, Thackeray cited the example of his father.
"Though he was the only Hindu `Hridaysamrat` (Emperor of Hindu hearts), Bal Thackeray never said he would annihilate the Muslims in 15 minutes. Can somebody dare to speak in this fashion (like Owaisi) among the Pakistani Hindus? Under such a situation, it is up to the Hindus to decide who will protect them," Thackeray said.
Referring to ally BJP`s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi`s brand of "Hindutva", Thackeray rued that whenever there is talk of Modi, it gets linked to Gujarat riots and attempts are made to measure his "Hindutva" based on that incident.
"However, one thing is clear, under Modi, Gujarat has not witnessed any communal riots and the Hindus are feeling secure in that state," Thackeray said.
Discussing the prospects of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Maharashtra, Thackeray recalled that way back, the late Bal Thackeray had advised social campaigner Anna Hazare to keep away from his "Team Anna".
"Now `Team Anna` has distanced itself from Hazare - on whose name it came up in the first place - AAP came with a bang and fell with a whimper in Delhi and only the people of that state had to suffer," Thackeray said.
He dismissed the contention that the AAP broom (party symbol) was sweeping Maharashtra and said it doesn`t pose any challenge to the established parties.
"In fact, the people of Mumbai are already irritated by the AAP. The Shiv Sena is the only voice of the people of Maharashtra," he said.
With Agency inputs
