Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said that the upcoming general election is a battle to save democracy and stop dictatorship. He advocated for the coalition government in the country. Without taking names of Raj Thackeray and Prakash Ambedkar, he said that the people are well aware about the people who have extended their unconditional support to the BJP and are pretending to be contesting against the BJP.
On the occasion of Gudi Padwa, the beginning of Marathi new year, Raj Thackeray announced his unconditional support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mr. Ambedkar has decided to contest Lok Sabha elections separately after his alliance talks with the Maha Vikas Aghadi failed.
“The people now know who is pretending to contest the election against the BJP, but actually helping the Modi-led party. They will support those who are fighting to save the Constitution and democracy,” Mr. Thackeray said.
Claiming that coalition governments worked better in India, the Shiv Sena UBT leader said, “We are against the dictatorial and authoritative government. The country has a history where every alliance government, be it of Atal Bihari Vajpayee or Dr Manmohan Singh, has performed well. In fact, the country has progressed the most only during alliance governments.”
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, Mr. Thackeray said that for the first time in the last 10 years, large scale discontent was visible in the country. “Autocracy is detrimental to the country. 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,” he said.
