MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Saturday that autocracy was detrimental to the country and called for having a coalition government at the centre, as such dispensations have "worked well" in the past. There is a need for a strong leader, but he should take everybody along, he said.
Speaking at his residence 'Matoshree' in Mumbai, where office-bearers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) from Jalgaon district joined his party, he said that for the first time in the last 10 years, discontent was visible at such a large scale in the country.
"Autocracy is detrimental to the country. There was a time when it was felt that there should be no coalition government. But PV Narasimha Rao, Atal Bihari Vajpayee as well as Manmohan Singh ran coalition governments well," the former chief minister pointed out.
"Barring some exceptions, coalition governments have worked in the country. We want a strong country and a coalition government. We want a strong leader, but who can take everyone together," Thackeray said.
He said the opposition INDIA bloc can provide a coalition government.
He also said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) parties will soon hold joint rallies in the state.