The 63-year-old expressed concern over the rising rift between various communities, such as the Marathas, OBCs and Dhangars, over reservation and held the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) responsible for it.

“BJP split the Shiv Sena and NCP earlier and is now conspiring to divide the Marathi people on the basis of caste. I urge all Maratha, OBC and Dhangar community leaders to give up the differences and come together and unite as Marathi,” he said.

Thackeray urged the state government to invite all community leaders, including Manoj Jarange-Patil and Laxman Hake, for a meeting. “The government should pass a resolution in the assembly to increase the percentage of reservation. My party will support it in the assembly and parliament, too.” He added that the current BJP has nothing to do with the BJP of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani, but belongs to people with a trader’s mindset.

Thackeray also targeted chief minister Eknath Shinde, saying that the government’s recently announced sops in the state budget, including a monthly allowance of ₹1,500 for women and provision of three free gas cylinders, were temporary.

Addressing party workers, Thackeray said, “Many schemes are being launched. This is a ploy to lure women voters before the polls. The schemes are only for two to three months. Their government will not return. And even if it returns, the schemes will be wrapped up after that. Schemes are being announced but there is a drought when it comes to their implementation. The government is trying to hide its sins with these schemes.”

Thackeray demanded the waiver of electricity bill arrears for farmers. He also said that the seven seats won by Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction in the Lok Sabha elections didn’t amount to anything as he had stolen the party’s name and symbol after the split. The former CM acknowledged that the ‘burning torch’ symbol that the Shiv Sena (UBT) was alloted after the split in the party could not effectively reach people in the Lok Sabha polls.

Thackeray said that the upcoming assembly elections will be fought for Maharashtra’s pride: “We will defeat the traitors, or else history will write that traitors won Maharashtra.” He also expressed regret over his party’s defeat in the Lok Sabha elections in Sambhaji Nagar. “We will review the reasons behind defeat but will continue to fight. I will not give up, and we will win the assembly seats from the district,” he said.

Thackeray also slammed the state government for giving a clean chit to Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Waikar as a reward for leaving his camp and joining Shinde. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai police recently filed a closure report in a case against Waikar for alleged irregularities in the construction of a luxury hotel in Jogeshwari, months after he switched over from Thackeray’s camp to the Shinde-led Sena.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) held its first ‘Shiv Sankalp’ rally with party workers and office bearers in Sambhaji Nagar on Sunday to kickstart preparations for the assembly polls. Leader of opposition in the state legislative council, Ambadas Danve, former MP Chandrakant Khaire and several local leaders, including former BJP corporator Raju Shinde, were present at the rally. Danve expressed confidence that Marathwada could break its earlier record by electing 14 Shiv Sena (UBT) MLAs from the region.

Shinde hits back

Responding to Thackeray’s comments, Shinde assured that all schemes announced in the state budget are permanent. “The scheme to provide ₹1,500 every month and ₹18,000 annually to women, plus the three cylinders free is a Raksha Bandhan gift to sisters. The scheme to waive electricity bills of farmers is also permanent. All [monetary] provisions have been made. This is a long-lasting scheme,” Shinde told reporters in Nagpur.

Hitting back, Shinde said Thackeray should stop “whining”. “People voted for us because he abandoned the ideals of [Shiv Sena founder] Balasaheb [Thackeray]. We fought 13 seats against them and won seven. Their (Shiv Sena UBT) strike is 42% and ours is 47%,” Shinde said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) contested 21 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra and won nine, while the Shinde-led Sena contested 15 seats and emerged victorious on seven. In direct fights between the two parties for 13 seats, Shinde’s Sena won seven.

Shinde asserted the Lok Sabha results had showed people voted for his party, adding that “the assembly polls will make it more evident whose party is the real Shiv Sena”.

The Shiv Sena split in June 2022 after Shinde rebelled against then CM Thackeray and brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Shinde then formed the government with the support of the BJP. His faction was later given the party name and its bow-and-arrow symbol.

With inputs from PTI