Lok Sabha Elections 2023: Uddhav Thackeray Alleges BJP Campaigning to Win Over 400 Seats to Change Constitution

Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of Shiv Sena (UBT), asserted on Thursday that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is vigorously campaigning with the goal of securing over 400 seats in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections as it wants to change the Constitution.

Speaking at a rally in Guhagar, located in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district, the former chief minister of the state also alleged that the concept of one nation one election was a step towards establishing a dictatorship.

Understand the strategy of the BJP they want more than 400 seats (out of 543 in the Lok Sabha) because they don’t want opposing voices when they go ahead with their plan of changing the Constitution. Recently more than 100 MPs were suspended from Parliament during which several important bills were passed without debate, he said.

Last week, BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde asserted that his party required a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament to amend the Constitution and rectify what he referred to as distortions and unnecessary additions made by the Congress. Following this, the BJP attempted to mitigate the controversy by characterizing Hegde's remarks as his personal opinion and requested clarification from him.

Thackeray asserted that the current BJP significantly differs from the era of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and veteran party leader L K Advani. Regarding the rebellion within the Shiv Sena in 2022, which led to its split, Thackeray stated that he had never harbored a strong desire to become the chief minister. However, he acknowledged that he assumed the post under exceptional circumstances.

Even if I did, I was working for the welfare of Maharashtra. I gave you ministerial posts and made you members of the legislature and you betray me in this manner, he said without naming anyone. Elsewhere in the country, the head of a political party becomes chief minister. Just because of that you betray me, the former CM said.