Jan Sangh was not part of Samyukta Maharashtra movement: Uddhav

Uddhav Thackery makes LS ‘offer’ to Nitin Gadkari; BJP hits back — Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray (Photo: X)

Pune: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday claimed that Jan Sangh, the BJP’s predecessor, did not participate in the struggle for the creation of the Maharashtra state which unfolded in the 1950s.

Speaking at a joint election rally of the Maha Vikas Aghadi of Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) here, Thackeray said the BJP never created any ideals.

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“They were never part of the freedom struggle. Even in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, Jan Sangh, the parent party of BJP, never participated. My grandfather `Prabodhankar’ Thackeray, my father (Bal Thackeray), and uncle Shrikant Thackeray were at the forefront of that movement. Jan Sangh was part of Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti. Their objective was to enter the committee, seek something and leave,” he claimed.

When elections came, Jan Sangh broke up the Samiti over seat-sharing, Thackeray said, alleging that “their malice towards Maharashtra has existed since then.”

Thackeray was, incidentally, speaking a day ahead of Maharashtra’s foundation day, celebrated on May 1.

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “wandering soul” jibe aimed at NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Thackeray said, apparently referring to Modi, that there was also one “discontented soul” which was roaming everywhere.

While he and Sharad Pawar were accused of trying to make their respective son and daughter Maharashtra chief minister, this discontented soul was fighting for himself and doing all the work for his `friends’, the Sena (UBT) chief said.

This discontented soul should be sensitive enough to notice the hardships faced by farmers, he added.

Thackeray also claimed that Shiv Sena and its founder Bal Thackeray had stood by Modi during his difficult hour, but Modi was now trying to finish the Sena.

He also took swipes at the BJP for campaigning for JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna whose name has cropped up in explicit video clips.

The BJP wanted a brute majority for changing the Constitution, Thackeray claimed, warning that if it ever tried doing that, the “whole country will erupt.”