Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday accused the BJP of poisoning society and asked his supporters to respond to the ruling party's favoured 'Jai Shri Ram' slogan with 'Jai Shivaji' and Jai Bhavani'.
Addressing Sena-UBT workers in the eastern suburb of Mulund, bordering Thane, he also drew a comparison between the current BJP-led regime and Nazi Germany dictator Adolf Hitler.
“If anyone says Jai Shri Ram, do not let the person leave without making sure that he says Jai Shivaji and Jai Bhavani.
“The BJP has poisoned our society. I am going to give the BJP a tough time for what they have done to our society,” he said.
Thackeray also questioned the BJP's commitment to the country, pointing to its stance on international sports events.
He said that the BJP previously opposed sporting events with Pakistan, yet India now engages in cricket matches with both Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The Sena-UBT chief also responded to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's recent jibe in the legislative assembly -- “I am not Uddhav Thackeray to stay ongoing projects”.
Thackeray, who held the CM's post for more than two years, said if Fadnavis wants to emulate him, he should announce loan waivers for farmers and allocate revised funds for initiatives like Shiv Bhojan and Ladki Bahin schemes in the budget, which will be presented on March 10.
The Sena-UBT leader claimed that he had halted certain projects during his tenure as CM and would have relocated the Metro-3 car shed to Kanjur Marg had he remained in office longer. He alleged that the land is now being allocated to the Adani group.
The BJP and Thackeay's party were at loggerheads over the Mumbai Metro-3 car shed site.
After the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government collapsed in 2022 due to Eknath Shinde's rebellion and ensured the BJP's return to power, the new government decided to set up the Metro car shed at Aarey in the western suburbs. Thackeray wanted it to be moved to Kanjur Marg on the eastern side.
Thackeray said, “We need to tell Fadnavis that the coastal road was constructed by me. I did the groundbreaking ceremony for that road.”
He claimed Muslims voted for the BJP because "we did good work during the COVID outbreak", and asked why the saffron party should have an issue with Muslims supporting the Sena (UBT).
He cited the example of balladeer Amar Shaikh, who was born into a Muslim family and fought for the unification of Maharashtra.
Thackeray also drew a comparison between the current regime and Hitler.
He said, “Presenting one's side, levelling allegations against others, responding to opposition's accusations and spreading outright rumours – these are the four levels Hitler operated on. I see a similarity with the current dispensation.”
Despite the “challenges” posed by the Election Commission, Thackeray said, they were undeterred and fighting against the current regime.
The Sena-UBT chief also highlighted the views shared by some leaders of his MVA allies, Congress and NCP-SP, after the Maharashtra assembly election results last year. According to them, the MVA undermined its promising performance in the Lok Sabha polls during the assembly elections, he said.
The MVA, which had won 30 of the 48 seats in the 2024 General Elections, was obliterated by the Mahayuti coalition of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP in the assembly polls. While Mahayuti grabbed 230 of the state's 288 seats, MVA could win just 46.
In light of upcoming civic body elections, Thackeray emphasised the need for unity, saying, “Whenever civic body elections are announced, we need to resolve that we will vote for the candidate nominated by the party.”
The civic body polls, especially for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), will be a litmus test for Thackeray's Mumbai-headquartered party.
© 2025