Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) Pledges 12,000 Jobs: Will Maharashtra's Youth Benefit?

Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray addressed a large crowd of youth at a job fair organised by his party on Saturday. During his speech, Thackeray reaffirmed his party's commitment to providing employment opportunities for young people, enabling them to become independent and self-reliant.

He took the opportunity to contrast this with the current ruling government, mockingly referring to them as the 'khokhe sarkar' (indicating a corrupt regime), stating that they have undone the progress symbolised by the popular slogan 'Mulgi Shikli, Pragati Zhali' (girls' education leads to progress).

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Thackeray criticised the Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, pointing out that instead of genuinely empowering girls, they are handing out small sums of Rs 1,500 and leaving them at home without promoting their education or employment.

The job fair was organised with an eye on the upcoming assembly elections, with the aim of drawing attention to the high unemployment rates in Maharashtra. Thackeray blamed the Mahayuti Alliance government, currently in power, for the "unemployment crisis" in the state, calling their governance a "miserable failure."

Photo Credit: PTI

He also predicted a shift in power within the next one-and-a-half months, declaring confidently that his party's government would soon take charge. He warned that when his party is in power, the 'gaddars' (traitors) currently in the government, who he claims are responsible for moving companies and industries out of Maharashtra, would find themselves unemployed. Thackeray firmly stated that these individuals would not be welcomed for job opportunities under his government.

Anil Parab, senior Shiv Sena leader and MLC, also addressed the gathering, emphasising the worsening unemployment under the Mahayuti government. He said many industries have relocated to neighbouring states, further exacerbating the situation. Parab expressed confidence in the return of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to power and promised that, once in office, the new government would prioritise youth employment and fill vacant government positions.

At the job fair, it was announced that 12,000 jobs had already been confirmed. Parab explained that candidates' documents would be reviewed and they would be shortlisted based on their qualifications, ensuring that no candidate would leave disappointed. He added that this was just the first phase and assured that similar job fairs would be organised every year.

The event saw participation from several major companies, including Hinduja, HDFC, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Edelweiss Tokio Insurance, SBI, Bajaj, Tata AIG, Airtel, ICICI Lombard, 90Plus Management, and Dr Reddy's Foundation. Selected candidates were given shortlisting letters on the spot, but these were not final job offers. A committee member clarified that the shortlisted candidates would need to report to the respective companies for further recruitment processes, after which final offer letters would be issued following verification of their details.