Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said the Lok Sabha elections are a fight between dictatorship and democracy. Addressing a campaign rally in Parbhani city for Shiv Sena (UBT) nominee and sitting MP Sanjay Jadhav, Thackeray targeted the BJP on a host of issues including dynastic politics.
"This election in Parbhani is not local. This is a fight between dictatorship and democracy," he said. Sanjay Jadhav is pitted against Mahadev Jankar of Rashtriya Samaj Paksha, who is the joint candidate of the Mahayuti alliance of Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP, and Panjabrao Dakh of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi from Parbhani constituency.
Thackeray alleged that ministers in the Maharashtra cabinet are disrespecting women by using foul language on television channels, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah keep mum. "They call Shiv Sena 'nakli' (duplicate) but they don't utter a word when a minister from Marathwada region (Abdul Sattar), who is sitting with BJP, uses abusive language against women," he said.
Since BJP knows that Modi's face will not attract votes in Maharashtra, they are using the face of Bal Thackeray and trying to fool people, he alleged. "People will decide whether they want dynasts or not, but when they (BJP) talk about political dynasties of Opposition parties, we will talk about the politics of monopoly," Thackeray added.
In a jibe at BJP, Thackeray said a new "season" (episode) has started on OTT platforms called "Jumla 3". "Earlier, two seasons came in 2014 and 2019 (referring to elections) and the third one is 2024. Actors, villains, and storywriters are the same. How many times such seasons are to be seen? It should be stopped. They have spoiled the entire country and Maharashtra," Thackeray said. Parbhani will vote in the second phase of the general elections on April 26.
