Couldn’t focus on Goa earlier because of friendship with BJP: Aditya Thackeray
New
Delhi,
Feb
12:
Shiv
Sena
leader
Aaditya
Thackeray
on
Saturday
said
his
party
could
not
focus
on
Goa
earlier
due
to
its
friendship
with
the
BJP,
but
after
the
latter
"back-stabbed",
the
Sena
has
now
decided
to
contest
all
future
polls
in
the
coastal
state
-
right
from
panchayat
level
to
general
elections.
He
said
Goa
needs
the
Sena,
because
despite
being
in
power
at
the
Centre
and
in
the
state,
the
BJP
has
failed
to
bring
any
sustainable
development.
The Shiv Sena fell out with BJP after the 2019 Maharashtra polls and tied up with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress to form Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the neighbouring state.
The Sena is contesting the February 14 Goa Assembly elections in alliance with the NCP. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena has fielded 10 candidates in Goa this time.
The party has withdrawn its candidate Shailendra Velingkar from the Panaji seat after Utpal Parrikar, son of late Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, decided to contest as an independent candidate after being denied ticket by the BJP from the constituency.
Addressing a press conference in Panaji, Thackeray said, "Shiv Sena had not concentrated on Goa in the past due to its friendship with BJP. But considering the political developments, in which BJP back-stabbed Sena, we have decided to contest all future elections in Goa. We will contest panchayat, assembly and Lok Sabha polls from here...Goa needs Shiv Sena."
He said of late, Shiv Sena has been contesting elections outside the home state of Maharashtra.
Thackeray said that the party has been getting good response to its campaign in Goa.
"This election is not about the future of Shiv Sena, but about the locals and their future," the Maharashtra minister said.
The Sena leader said that although the BJP is in power at the Centre and in the state, no sustainable development has happened in Goa.
"Issues like water and electricity supply are still being faced by the people. If this is the case, then we fail to understand whether the state has made progress or the leaders have progressed," he added.
Thackeray also slammed the BJP saying that its campaign centered around creating division in society, spreading hatred and its leaders talked about irrelevant issues, due to which the real issues failed to get the required attention.
(PTI)