Sena to go it alone in 2019, says Uddhav Thackeray

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, October 18

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday reiterated that his party would go it alone in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections which are likely to be held early next year.

Addressing the party's 52nd Dussera rally at Mumbai's Shivaji Park this evening, Thackeray asked Shiv Sena workers to begin working in every constituency in Maharashtra. "There are many reports that will enter into an alliance for next Lok Sabha elections... We plan to

contest the next elections on our own," Thackeray said to a packed audience.

Indicating that the Shiv Sena would adopt an even more hardline version of Hindutva than the BJP, Thackeray said he would be visiting Ayodhya on November 25 with his party workers. "You had enough time to visit America, China, Japan and other countries but you could not

visit Ayodhya in the last four years," Thackeray taunted Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sarcastically calling Modi the 11th 'avatar of Lord Vishnu', as referred by BJP's cadres in Maharashtra, Thackeray wondered why the Lord could not build a grand temple for Lord Ram despite getting an absolute majority in parliament. 

Thackeray also endorsed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's speech earlier in the day at Nagpur where the latter demanded that the government issue an ordinance for the construction of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. "We fully agree with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat that the government should immediately begin construction of the Ram Mandir," Thackeray said.

He further taunted Prime Minister Modi by saying the Shiv Sena was capable of building a temple in Ayodhya on its own. "Tell us if you cannot do it... tell us that your promise of a Ram Mandir was jumla and our Shiv Sainiks are fully capable of building a Ram Mandir at Ayodhya," Thackeray said.

He went on to virtually call the prime minister a liar. "The country has become a volcano because of your lies. When the country erupts you will never be able to return to power," Thackeray said while referring to soaring prices and crimes against women.