Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticized Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray for aligning with leaders who opposed the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and disrespected Veer Savarkar. Speaking at the BJP’s manifesto launch event, or ‘Sankalp Patra,’ in Mumbai on Sunday, Shah questioned Thackeray’s choice of political allies in the run-up to the Maharashtra assembly elections.
“Uddhav ji, I can’t decide where you sit, but you’re sitting with those who opposed the abrogation of Article 370, opposed the Ram Janmabhoomi temple, insulted Savarkar, and rejected the CAA and UCC,” Shah stated. He further challenged Thackeray to ask Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to speak positively about Veer Savarkar and to see if Congress leaders would honor Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.
In his remarks, Shah criticized the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance—comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)—for “appeasement politics” and claimed they disregarded the people’s mandate in the 2019 elections to gain power. Shah appealed to voters to support the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance for the third consecutive time, arguing that MVA’s power-sharing arrangement was driven by “greed” and would not endure.
Shah launched BJP’s manifesto, offering 25 guarantees aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for Maharashtra. He was accompanied by senior BJP leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who highlighted the manifesto’s focus on realizing PM Modi’s vision for the state.
With the Maharashtra assembly elections scheduled for November 20 and vote counting on November 23, the Mahayuti alliance—consisting of BJP, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP—will face a strong challenge from the opposition MVA coalition as both sides vie for control of Maharashtra’s 288 constituencies.
