Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray addressed party workers in suburban Mumbai, asserting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had never been involved in any movement or struggle nor had it initiated any significant creation, but only knows how to snatch from others.
BJP was not part of the freedom movement, the Sanyukta Maharashtra struggle or the Marathwada Mukti Sangram. It only knows to snatch. We will destroy BJP’s chor bazar in the elections. It has seen our friendship. Now BJP will see the heat of our mashaal (poll symbol lighted torch), he said.
Thackeray instructed Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials to refrain from participating in what he described as the corrupt activities of the BJP. He reiterated his party's decision that Amol Kirtikar would be their candidate for the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat, succeeding his father, sitting MP Gajanan Kirtikar, who is affiliated with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Thackeray's announcement the previous day had elicited an irate reaction from Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam, who had unsuccessfully contested the seat in 2019.