'If you have guts then kill Dawood...': Uddhav Thackeray dares BJP

Mumbai, Mar 25: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party today over the raids by ED on ministers' relatives.

Speaking in the Assembly, Uddhav defended NCP leader Nawab Malik saying if he had a connection with Dawood Ibrahim for years then what were the central agencies doing for so many years.

"If Nawab Malik had a connection with Dawood Ibrahim for years, what were central agencies doing for so many yrs? The matter is in court. I think LoP Fadnavis must be recruited by ED as he gave all the documents to ED,as he said somewhere," Thakceray said in Assembly.

"Where is Dawood? Does anyone know where is he? You fought last elections in the name of Ram Mandir. Now, are you going to ask for votes in the name of Dawood? Did Obama ask for votes in the name of Laden? If you have guts then kill Dawood, will you?," he added.

"You ask for the resignation of Nawab Malik. Tell me first, why did you support Mehbooba Mufti who had sympathy for Afzal Guru and Burhan Wani," he added.

Thackeray said that he was ready to go to jail if the BJP wanted power but it should not harass his family members. He said former prime minister Indira Gandhi had the courage to declare Emergency while the BJP has ushered in an "undeclared Emergency".

"I am telling you (the BJP) in front of all. You want power, right? Don't go collecting pen drives (referring to BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis submitting evidence' in a pen drive). Its sale goes up....I am saying I will go with you. Not for power. The things you are doing now, defaming my family members, seizing their assets, I am not afraid of such actions," Thackeray said.

"We did not defame your family members...I will come along with you. Jail me," he added.

Allegations are made up when action is taken against any non-BJP leader or his or her relatives, and the individuals against whom action is taken are not even given a hearing, the chief minister alleged.

Thackeray, who heads the Shiv Sena, said he was ready to take responsibility for his party workers' "sins", if any.