Kolhapur (Maharashtra), May 1 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday accused the Narendra Modi government at the Centre of betraying Maharashtra, and apologised to the people for seeking votes for Modi in the 2014 and 2019 polls.
Speaking at an election rally at Ichalkaranji in Kolhapur district, Thackeray claimed that by calling his party a “fake” Shiv Sena, Prime Minister Modi was trying to put pressure on the Supreme Court before whom litigation related to the split in the party is pending.
Speaking at the same rally, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) president Sharad Pawar said that Modi, during visits to Maharashtra, only criticises him (Pawar) and Thackeray instead of speaking about his plans for the state.
Pawar also accused the Centre of misusing central agencies and pointed to the arrests of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in alleged corruption cases.
Thackeray said when no one was willing to join hands with the BJP, the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with it. The saffron party, however, brought down the government of a man whose family had given it everything, he said, referring to the fall of his government in June 2022.
“I apologise for seeking votes for Modi (in the past) because his government has betrayed Maharashtra,” the Sena (UBT) chief added.
He also accused the BJP of using the Shiv Sena in the Lok Sabha elections but scheming to defeat its candidates in assembly polls.
“You used Shiv Sainiks (in Lok Sabha polls) but defeated our candidates (in assembly polls). I have come to avenge it,” said Thackeray who parted ways with the BJP in 2019. PTI PR KRK
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