Shiv Sena re-elects Uddhav Thackeray as president, passes resolution to go solo in Lok Sabha, Maharashtra polls in 2019

The resolution was moved by Sena MP Sanjay Raut, who said the BJP had been demoralising the party for the last three years.
Devendra Fadnavis (left) with Uddhav Thackeray
Devendra Fadnavis (left) with Uddhav Thackeray

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray sounded poll bugle and appealed party men to defeat the BJP even after he was formally re-elected to the post and the party resolved to go solo in the forthcoming 2019 general assembly and Maharashtra Assembly elections here on Tuesday.

“We shall have to take down this government which is running only on advertisements,” Thackeray roared as he addressed the party’s national conclave here at the NSCI in Worli on Tuesday.

“People have given fancy slogans like ‘One booth, Ten youth’. But, I want to know the ‘Truth’. The word ‘Truth’ also rhymes well. But that is missing. I’ll appeal all our party men to find the truth in coming months. Truth about those who have got the much advertised free gas cylinders or the gas conections, truth about those who have got their loans waived off or about anyone who has been benefitted out of any government scheme,” said Thackeray. 

“We shall have to bring the ‘Shiv Shahi’ - the government of Shiv Sena - at least in Maharashtra, to show the nation what is meant by commitment,” Thackeray said while hitting out at the BJP and the Modi-Shah duo over a host of issues ranging from not keeping promises, not revealing information to not following the Hindutva agenda and their arrogance.

“People think that we have a strong leader. But we have a leader who is interested in flying kites with foreign leaders in Ahmedabad. Why are these visiting leaders taken to Gujarat and not to Kashmir or other states,” Thackeray said. “What is the use of 56-inch chest if it has no respect for soldiers and has no bravery in it. Gadkari demeaned naval officers here and an MLA from Kashmir, who is supported by the BJP said that terrorists are our brothers and nobody even raised voice against all this. We shall have to change it,” he said.

“Shiv Sena never contested elections outside Maharashtra to avoid splitting of Hindutva votes. But, look what we have got in the name of Hindutva now. We shall not accept this. Hereinafter Shiv Sena will contest polls in every state outside Maharashtra and that too on the Hindutva agenda,” Thackeray added.

Questioning the BJP leadership’s penchant for allegedly making false promises, Thackeray asked, “Just as killing a cow is a crime in India, shouldn’t telling lies also be deemed as a crime?”

Referring to the BJP’s debacle in Gujarat, Thackeray said that he feels there is a space for a regional party.“If Gujarat had a regional party, then people would have preferred it over the BJP and the Congress both,” Thackeray said indicating the future course of his party.

The resolutions made today are well though, after political decisions, Thackeray told his party members and added, “I don’t want you just to raise hands in support of these resolutions, but raise your fist to fight.”

He appealed people to remain united on the backdrop of recent riots in the state.

“Bhima Koregaon was a shameful episode. People are quarreling over who sewed body parts of Sambhaji. But, the real issue is that how his body could be shattered into pieces while the brave Marathas were there. That happened because we were scattered. We should not let that happen again. If we quarrel, some Aurangjeb will rise even today and split Maharashtra into castes and other factors. Shiv Sena will put all such miscreants to rest,” Thackeray said.

In the conclave, Maharashtra minister Eknath Shinde and MPs Chandrakant Khaire and Anand Adsul were elevated as party leaders along with Aditya Thackeray, while Uddhav close aid Milind Narvekar was appointed as party secretary. Dr Neelam Gorhe, Manisha Kayande, Amol Kolhe and Adv Anil Parab were appointed as party spokesperson.

“They are all hard workers and hence have been appointed to the posts,” Thackeray said.

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