No room for Sharad Pawar in NDA fold, says Uddhav Thackeray
"Myself, Gopinath Munde, Ramdas Athavale and Raju Shetty opposed Pawar's entry in the NDA and hence his dream of joining the NDA broke even before elections," he said in second part of his interview to party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.
"I don't think after elections, we will require outside support and surely not of Pawar's NCP. Even if needed, it's not possible," the Sena leader said.
Those from the NDA praising Pawar should first visit families of farmers who have committed suicide, he said and also criticised the Congress-NCP government for failing to help farmers affected by drought and unseasonal hailstorm.
To a question on Shiv Sena's stand, if support of NCP is required after elections, Uddhav said, "This situation has not arisen and it's not possible too. Pawar is also part of the severe anti-incumbency against the UPA. I feel his candidates will not get elected. Besides, we will not require support of one or two MPs of his party as that would be betrayal of the voters."
Targeting Pawar for his controversial ink remarks, Uddhav said, "The NCP president said he made those remarks in a lighter vein. Imagine, if such remarks are made in lighter vein, what can they do seriously. The victory of Congress-NCP all these years despite widespread resentment was because of this bogusness."
He also said that Shiv Sena's alliance with BJP was strong and the additional allies in the state represent different sections of the society.
"Athavale
represents
the
Dalits,
Shetty
represents
farmers,
Mahadev
Jankar
has
strong
backing
of
the
Dhangar
community,
Vinayak
Mete
comes
with
Maratha
community
support,"
he
said.
The
state-level
alliance
is
not
restricted
to
just
elections
but
is
part
of
the
Sena-BJP
efforts
to
expand
its
base
in
Maharashtra,
he
said.
Sena's strength has not reduced and rather people of the state see the party as the only ray of hope, he asserted.
PTI