'Don't Get Votes In PM Modi's Name...': Uddhav Slams BJP's 'Thackeray Outreach' After Cousin Raj Meets Amit Shah

New Delhi: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the BJP. In a public address in Maharashtra's Nanded district, Uddhav accused the party of attempting to poach a member of the Thackeray family to secure electoral victories. This accusation follows a notable meeting between MNS Chief Raj Thackeray and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Uddhav Thackeray expressed indifference to the BJP’s potential courting of his distant relative, suggesting that his party and supporters were self-sufficient. He criticized the BJP for what he perceives as their efforts to usurp the Thackeray name—a name he believes carries more electoral weight in Maharashtra than that of PM Narendra Modi.

"BJP knows very well that they don't get votes in the name of PM Narendra Modi in Maharashtra. People vote here in the name of (Bal) Thackeray. This realisation prompted the BJP to try to steal leaders from outside (BJP fold)," he said.

He further lambasted the BJP, labeling their origins as “fraudulent” and accusing them of attempting to claim the legacy of Bal Thackeray for their own.  "First, they stole the photo of Bal Thackeray, but it doesn't matter. Today, they are trying to steal another Thackeray....take it, I and my people are enough," he said while concluding his two-day tour of Nanded and Hingoli districts in the Marathwada region.

Uddhav Thackeray’s remarks concluded his two-day visit to the Marathwada region’s Nanded and Hingoli districts.

Despite being part of the opposition coalition Maha Vikas Aghadi and the INDIA bloc, Uddhav Thackeray asserted that his brand of Hindutva has not alienated Christians and Muslims. He claimed that the integrity of his party, which was once tarnished by association with the BJP, has been restored since their separation.

Raj Thackeray’s split from the undivided Shiv Sena in 2006 led to the formation of the MNS. Despite his reputation as an influential speaker, his party has struggled to make a significant impact. His past inflammatory remarks against north Indians have sparked widespread criticism across the political spectrum.