Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray today said despite his party being in Maharashtra government for last five years without much power, he never betrayed or conspired to pull it down.
He said in an alliance, both parties need to exercise caution and if the speed is accelerated unnecessarily, it could lead to an ‘accident’.
In the second part of his interview to Sena mouthpiece Saamana, Thackeray also spoke about his party’s objection to tree felling in Aarey Colony here, saying they are not against the Metro car shed, but the place where it is proposed.
”Development should not happen by causing hardships to people,” he said, asserting that the Sena will continue to raise its voice on issues pertaining to citizens.
He also expressed confidence that the BJP-Sena alliance will provide a much better administration and governance, if it wins again in the upcoming state polls.
Asked about the Sena’s protest over crop insurance, Thackeray said he takes a stand on issues concerning people. ”When the government publicises its achievements, the work done is seen on the ground. Iwill continue to highlight people’s issues before the government,” he said.
”Did I betray the government or conspire to pull it down…No. We were in government without any powerfor last five years. There were differences, and we raised our voice wherever we felt things were wrong,” he said.
Thackeray said that for the alliance to stay intact, both the BJP and Shiv Sena need to exercise caution. ”We need to control our mind. If you accelerate speed unnecessarily, we can meet with an accident. This has happened earlier,” he said, in an apparent reference to the breaking of
the Sena-BJP alliance ahead of the 2014 state polls.
Thackeray said his party forged an alliance with the BJP in the interestof Maharashtra.
”I compromised for the sake of the state. I am confident we can provide good administration and governance in next five years based on the previous experience,” he said.
”What was Devendra Fadnavis’ experience when he first became the Chief Minister. Some of the Shiv Sena Ministers were in that position earlier,” he noted.
On the upcoming Assembly polls, he said the Sena has to be prepared in all the 288 seats of Maharashtra. ”Preparation doesn’t mean contesting elections, or winning or losing. I want the Shiv Sena’s ideology to reach in
each and every ward,” he said.