They stole my party and symbol but couldn't take away your love for me: Uddhav makes emotional pitch before voters

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On the last day of campaigning for the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 on Monday, Shiv Sena (UBT) Uddhav Thackeray made an emotional pitch before voters.

In a video on his party's handle on social media platform X, Thackeray appealed to voters to step out on Wednesday and burn the anarchy and lawlessness in the state with the power of their vote from the 'mashaal (flaming torch)', which is the party's political symbol.

"Today, I have come to you to ask for justice, not just for me, but for us and for our democracy. Two-and-a-half years ago, with your blessings, my government was in power. We have all seen how our government was brought down, and another regime, against our wishes, came to power, due to which we are all suffering. It's been two-and-a-half years since I have been asking for justice from the courts. I have still not got it. Justice delayed is justice denied. Considering I did not get justice from the courts, I have come to the biggest court, which according to Lokmanya Tilak, is the court of the people," the former Chief Minister (CM) said.

Thackeray accused the faction headed CM Eknath Shinde of stealing his party. "They stole our party, party name, symbol, and even Balasaheb's photo. However, they couldn't take away your love, blessings and trust for me. Because of this, I am fighting anarchy and to protect democracy. For this, I need your support as I am not fighting for myself but for the country's democracy. It's to save Maharashtra's identity," he claimed.

In the three-minute video, Thackeray went on to slam the Mahayuti and said, "They are looting Maharashtra. They are making the state a ghulam (slave). How can we let that happen. Thus, everybody must step out with their family members and ensure that our candidates win by a huge margin. Our symbol is the mashaal. Remember, this is Balasaheb's mashaal. Use it to destroy anarchy with the power of your vote."

A day earlier, in a rally at Mumbai's BKC Ground, Thackeray alleged that the NITI Aayog's plan to develop the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is a "deliberate attempt to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra" by undermining the importance of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

'Ploy to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra'

According to news agency PTI, while speaking at a rally at the BKC Ground in Mumbai a day before the campaigning for the assembly elections concluded, Thackeray pledged that if the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) came to power, it would scrap the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), as the agreement aimed to "diminish" the importance of the BMC.

"I wouldn't hesitate to disband the MMRDA if it tries to encroach on the BMC's jurisdiction," Thackeray said.

He stated that the "conspiracy" to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra is a "serious and imminent threat", and not just "loose talk." "The ploy is real, but we will never allow this to happen," he added.

According to PTI, Thackeray further claimed that MMRDA and WEF had signed an agreement in September to develop the metropolitan region as a global economic hub, which followed NITI Aayog's report on development. "The NITI Aayog blueprint diminishes the importance of the Mumbai civic body, and that is a clear attempt to separate the capital from Maharashtra," he asserted.

The former chief minister also vowed that the first action of an MVA government would be to cancel the policies of the (Mahayuti) government that had handed over Mumbai's land to the Adani Group.

"I am not anti-development, but I am anti-destruction," Thackeray said, distancing himself from allegations of hindering growth.