Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, alongside NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, addressed a rally in Ichalkaranji, Maharashtra, expressing regret for supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in previous elections. Thackeray accused the Modi government of betraying Maharashtra and apologized to the public for endorsing Modi.He also criticized the circumstances leading to his government's fall in 2022, blaming the Election Commission and Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narwekar for favoring the BJP.
Sharad Pawar said that Modi, during visits to Maharashtra, only criticises him (Pawar) and Thackeray instead of speaking about his plans for the state.Pawar also accused the Centre of misusing central agencies and pointed to the arrests of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in alleged corruption cases.
Thackeray said when no one was willing to join hands with the BJP, the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with it. The saffron party, however, brought down the government of a man whose family had given it everything, he said, referring to the fall of his government in June 2022.He also accused the BJP of using the Shiv Sena in the Lok Sabha elections but scheming to defeat its candidates in assembly polls.
Pawar said on the occasion that prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru spoke about the country when he visited the states, while Indira Gandhi would talk about poverty alleviation.
"But this PM can not rest till he targets Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar. I want to tell Modi ji, however may you criticise us and bypass important issues facing the state and the country, the people of Maharashtra will teach you a lesson," he said.Hitting out at Modi for calling Pawar "wandering soul," Thackeray in his speech recalled that Atal Bihari Vajpayee had praised Pawar's disaster management skills.