Help us thwart MNS,Uddhav urges Marathis

Without naming either his estranged cousin Raj Thackeray or his MNS,Uddhav said the Congress was trying to break the unity of Maharashtrians,and in a reference to Industries Minister Narayan Rane,alleged that the Congress adopted a “use and throw” policy with Sena dissidents who had joined it.

“Now Maharashtrians have realised that this is a battle for their existence,” said Uddhav,in reply to questions on the Sena’s poor show in the Lok Sabha polls (in the urban areas).

“We have searched most of the reasons for it. Neglect is also one of the reasons… The Lok Sabha polls have shown that once we are divided,the outsiders will rule over us and now I can see the belief of the Maharashtrians to desist from being divided and letting go of the saffron flag,” Uddhav said about the Sena’s loss to the Congress-NCP in the Thane,Mumbai and Nashik belt.

“The Maharashtrians in Mumbai must think about it. There are conspiracies that are being hatched against Mumbai¿If Mumbai is to be liberated from their grip then we will have to show these people our strength and unity,” said Uddhav,in reply to a question about the chances of Mumbai being severed from Maharashtra.

“The current set of rulers,(and) the chief minister have no sympathy about Mumbai. Even though they belong to Maharashtra,they rule like outsiders,” said Uddhav. He said that more power would be given to the BMC,and laws would be amended to prevent encroachments if the Sena-BJP came to power. He also lashed out at agencies like the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and the Railways for indulging in constructions without permission of the civic body.

Uddhav alleged that the political leadership in New Delhi always wanted a chief minister subservient to them in Maharashtra. He also attacked the state government and Home Minister Jayant Patil on the issue of communal riots at Miraj. He also tried to deflect the criticism on the BMC for the growth of slums in the city.