Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said the people in power in Maharashtra are “not true Hindutva loyalists” – a charge often made against him by the ruling Mahayuti led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who claims to have split the party for this very reason.
Not mincing words while addressing the party’s annual Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park, Uddhav Thackeray said the BJP and its allies practise “opportunistic Hindutva” that does not align with the true spirit of his father, Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology.
“The people in power in Maharashtra today are not true Hindutva loyalists… They may speak of Balasaheb’s legacy, but their actions are merely opportunistic,” he said, directly challenging the Shinde group’s claim of being the torchbearers of the Shiv Sena founder’s legacy.
Dussehra, which marks the end of Navratri and denotes the victory of good over evil, is traditionally a time to worship weapons and be battle-ready, albeit in a symbolic manner. The rally gains more significance this year, as the Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena goes full throttle into election mode as part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
Uddhav began his speech by stressing that the Sena’s battle today is not just political, but moral. “Today, while performing the pooja, we didn’t just worship weapons; we also worshiped Balasaheb Thackeray’s paintbrush,” he said, referring to his father’s creative and leadership legacy.
He accused his political adversaries of plotting against him and his supporters, but expressed confidence in the unwavering loyalty of party workers. “They forgot that I am the son of Balasaheb Thackeray,” he added, as he thanked the crowd for their unconditional support.
Uddhav further went on to recall a conversation he had with Tata Sons Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata, who died aged 86 on October 9. He said the veteran industrialist visited his family after Balasaheb’s passing.
“Ratan Tata told me that both of us inherited our legacies from our mentors and parents. He said JRD Tata only gave him full responsibility when he was 100% sure about his leadership abilities, and the same goes for what Balasaheb did for me,” he said.
Drawing a parallel to the Mahabharata, he likened the BJP to the Kauravas, who refused to give even a piece of land to the Pandavas despite all their efforts. He pointed out that the BJP’s rise to power in Maharashtra was largely supported by the Shiv Sena in the past.
“When no one was asking the BJP, it was the Shiv Sena that supported them at every juncture,” he said.
Apart from invoking Maratha king Shivaji, the former chief minister addressed the plight of farmers and Marathi-speaking people, accusing the BJP of neglecting their needs. Making a promise to the people of Maharashtra to reverse the “corrupt decisions made by this government”, he said he will never work for the people of Maharashtra and would never bow down to the powers in Delhi.
He reaffirmed his commitment to fighting against forces that, he claimed, are working to destroy Maharashtra’s core values and sell off Mumbai to corporate interests. His son Aaditya Thackeray, in his highly anticipated debut speech at the Dussehra rally, echoed similar sentiments and said the current government was corrupt and negligent towards the development of Mumbai.
‘Our govt coming in a few months’: Aaditya’s warning to BMC
Keeping his speech mostly focused on Mumbai, Aaditya Thackeray called out to the people of Mumbai to united and resist what he described as the selling out of the city by corrupt officials and contractor lobbies.
“This fight is not personal,” he said. “We are fighting to stop the loot and corruption of this government. We won’t allow them to sell our Mumbai. Over the last few years, this government has looted the city just to favour their contractor friends.”
In a bold move and direct warning to the commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), he said: “Our government is coming in a few months, and I dare you to sign any of these questionable contracts. If you do, we will not hesitate to take legal action against you.”
His strong words were met with loud cheers from the audience, as he specifically highlighted the “road scam” as one of the glaring examples of government mismanagement and corruption.
“Not a single new road has been constructed in Mumbai in the last two years, yet contracts worth crores were awarded,” he said. “After I raised the issue, contracts worth thousands of crores were put on hold.”
Beyond Mumbai, the former state minister also raised concerns about the economic downturn in Maharashtra, particularly the exodus of industries to other states and the lack of jobs. “Industries are moving to other states, there are no jobs for the youth, and most of the mega projects have gone to Gujarat. This government has done nothing to stop it,” he said.
“Once we are back in power, our primary focus will be on generating employment for the youth. We will prioritise the interests of Maharashtra’s future,” he added.