'Announce CM Candidate Today; I’m Ready to Support': Uddhav Thackeray's Bold Statement as MVA Launches Campaign

Leaders within the Mahayuti are questioning who will be the face of the Chief Ministerial post from Maha Vikas Aghadi. To this, Uddhav Thackeray, head of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) has thrown an open challenge: "Let Prithviraj Chavan or Sharad Pawar announce their candidate for Chief Minister today, and I will back them." The Mahavikas Aghadi officially launched its campaign today at the Shanmukhananda Hall in Mumbai, where Uddhav Thackeray delivered a powerful inaugural speech.

Before the elections, Mahavikas Aghadi should decide on their Chief Ministerial candidate. Thackeray stated in his speech, "Select anyone for the position, and I'm ready."

"Yesterday was Independence Day, and from today onwards, a new battle begins. My message to the Election Commission is that they should announce elections in Maharashtra. We are prepared. Talking is easy, but the battle is difficult. In the Lok Sabha elections, we defeated our political enemies to protect the Constitution and democracy. Now, the Assembly elections are about protecting Maharashtra’s pride and identity. They have come to loot Maharashtra. This fight is about who stays, me or them. But this fight should not be among us three alliance partners. It shouldn’t be a case of who stays, me or you, between the NCP and us," Thackeray said, with a touch of humor.

"The government has woken up now.  They are printing their photos everywhere. Even if I don't get the candidature, the aim is to bring them down," Thackeray remarked. Many within the alliance are asking, "Who will be the face of the Chief Minister? Will it be Uddhav Thackeray?" He further added, "My message to Prithviraj Chavan or Sharad Pawar is to announce the face for the Chief Minister. I will support them. Announce it now and see if I support or not."

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Thackeray continued, "I'm not fighting for myself. I'm fighting for the interests of Maharashtra. History must repeat itself against those who dare to put us to sleep. We will decide the issue of the Chief Minister's post. Earlier, in the alliance, the policy was to make the one with more seats the Chief Minister. This led to competition among us, trying to bring down the other’s candidate. Today, I have accepted the host role in Mumbai and decided to be the opening player," he added.

"Don't quarrel over seat-sharing. Our determination should be evident in our work. I have taken up the torch to ignite their seat. Let Congress’s hand, Sena’s torch, and Pawar’s bugle reach every village. Once again, I urge the Congress and NCP to announce their Chief Ministerial face but not to quarrel over seat allocation," Uddhav Thackeray said.

"Announce the elections today. You've started a dispute between OBCs and Marathas in the state. Bring the Maratha reservation bill to the Lok Sabha, and we will support it. Many challenges exist in Mumbai as well. Modi-Shah see Mumbai as a hen that lays golden eggs. We must not let them slaughter this hen," Uddhav Thackeray warned.

"Whether it's the Waqf Board or Hindu institutions, nothing should go astray. If the land under the Waqf Board Bill is handed over to your favorite industrialists, we will oppose it," he warned.

"The Muslim community has overwhelmingly voted for us. During COVID, I worked for this community. During the NRC, CAA movements, we stood with Muslims. Modi has brought the Waqf Board Amendment Bill to ignite a fire. Why wasn’t this bill passed when they had a majority? Shiv Sena MPs were not present in the house at that time because I was in Delhi," he explained.

"A monthly sum of ten thousand rupees is being given to those who take the government's schemes to the people. They have appointed ‘Yojana Doot’ for this work. This is people's money. The state is being looted through such schemes. Convey what we did in the last two and a half years to the people. Let’s have a discussion. Let’s discuss what you did and what we did. There’s a consideration to postpone the assembly elections by a month. They launched the ‘Ladki Behen’ scheme, but where is the money? IAS officers are telling me, 'Sir, come quickly.' Their true betrayal is evident. To topple the government, fifty boxes and fifteen hundred rupees are being given to the beloved sister," Uddhav Thackeray concluded.