Thackeray predicts short tenure for State Govt

The Vilasrao Deshmukh-led Democratic Front Government will not last long, the Shiv Sena chief claimed, but declined to predict the tenure of the government.

He acknowledged that there were some differences between the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). But these differences, he said, were only at a local level and were insignificant compared to the differences plaguing the two major constituents of the Democratic Front the Congress andthe Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Despite local differences between the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party high command had pledged continual support to the Sena, Thackeray said.

Thackeray, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the working of Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former deputy chief minister Gopinath Munde.

But even the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership had expressed displeasure over Munde’s style of functioning, he said.

The Shiv Sena supremo hinted that the increase in the incidence of riots, particularly in Maharashtra after the Shiv Sena-BJP government lost power, could be the handiwork of some forces working in close liaison with Pakistan. There appears to be a sinister plot by these forces to cause communal tensions all over the country, as terrorist attacks in Kashmir have still not stopped, Thackeray said.

In reply to a question why communal tensions had flared up particularly after the Congress-led Democratic Front Government assumedpower in the State, Thackeray remarked that his party certainly was not responsible, but maintained that in his view, these incidents had a different meaning. The people behind this are not local and must have come from somewhere else, he said.

Spewing vitriol on the independent legislators who supported the saffron combine earlier time but have now joined hands with the Democratic Front Government, Balasaheb Thackeray described them as “frogs” who kept hopping from one place to another for personal gains. It would not come as a surprise if they shift their loyalties once again to support the saffron combine, he stated.

Thackeray was, however, soft on former minister Babanrao Gholap who was denied the Shiv Sena ticket because of the corruption charges levelled against him. Despite having been denied the Shiv Sena ticket, Gholap has been elected as an Independent. “We had never removed Babanrao Gholap from the party, but had to deny him the ticket because of the corruption charges,” Thackeray said,while lamenting that the Shiv Sena had lost one seat. It is the people’s mandate which is more relevant than allegations of corruption, Thackeray said, while referring to Gholap’s election as an Independent.

Thackeray lashed out at the Democratic Front Government for reviving the Minorities Commission. The constitution of a Minorities Commission is akin to segregating the Muslims, Thackeray said. “Why should there be a separate commission for Muslims? Don’t the Hindus have problems? If there can be a commission for Muslims, then there should be separate commissions for Hindus, Christians and other communities as well,” he stormed.

Thackeray also expressed displeasure over the reduction in his security strength. “Why provide security to Sharad Pawar? Who are his enemies? At least I have many enemies,” he commented.

The Sena supremo also brushed aside Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal’s threats to dissolve various corporations since they had become steeped in corruption. “Let him dissolve thosecorporations. It was after all, the Congress which had established these corporations in the first place,” he said.

The Shiv Sena supremo stated that the party was considering modalities to constitute a national executive. Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray is in Delhi working out the modalities and holding deliberations with leaders from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Assam in this direction, he said.