Uddhav Thackeray Dares BJP to Poach Shiv Sena MLAs, Says 'Maharashtra Will Not Stay Asleep'
Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday dared the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to attempt to poach legislators of his party.
Mumbai, November 23: Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday dared the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to attempt to poach legislators of his party. Addressing a press conference with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar after the BJP formed government in Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray also hit out at the BJP for "political surgical strike" on Maharashtra, asserting that the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine will form the government. Sharad Pawar Says 8-11 NCP MLAs Hoodwinked to Attend Swearing-in Ceremony of Ajit Pawar.
"Let them try and break Shiv Sena MLAs, Maharashtra will not stay asleep," Uddhav Thackeray responded when asked about poaching attempts. "Earlier EVM khel was going on and now this is new khel. From here onwards, I don’t think elections are even needed. Everyone knows what Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj did when betrayed and attacked from behind," he told reporters. He further expressed concern over "the kind of political games going on in the country". Ajit Pawar Betrayed Sharad Pawar, BJP Misused Governor's Office: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut.
"First it was in Bihar, then Haryana and now Maharashtra. They break parties and legislators, and we exposed them. We are together with the NCP now and shall take the future steps unitedly," Uddhav Thackeray asserted. Speaking at the press conference, Sharad Pawar said that the list of supporting MLAs submitted to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari by 'rebel' Ajit Pawar was not an official list of the party.
"It was the attendance sheet of MLAs prepared at a party meeting which has been given to the Governor as Ajit Pawar's support letter," he said. "We have the total support of 169 MLAs, so we (three parties) came together. We have the numbers and were about to form the government. I am surprised how the Governor has done this today," Pawar added.
In a stunning political development, Governor Koshyari on Saturday morning administered the oath of office to BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis as the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra and NCP leader Ajit Pawar as the new Deputy Chief Minister. Talks between the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress to form a government were in final stages when this happened at around 8 am today.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 23, 2019 02:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).