'BJP aiming for one party, no election': Uddhav Thackeray in interview with Sanjay Raut

Mumbai: The BJP is aiming for “one party, no election”, Shiv Sena (UBT) head and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said slamming the NDA government at the Centre and the Maha Yuti dispensation in the state.

Thackeray made the remark during an interview with journalist-politician and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut in the run up to his 65th birthday, which falls on 27 July. 

Ahead of the full interview's release, Raut posted a teaser of the interview on Thursday. 

"One party, no election..."

When Raut asked that Chief Justice of India Bhushan Gavai’s mother Kamaltai Gavai has advocated for the old ballot paper system and a return over the EVMs, Thackeray agreed and said, "We must know where our vote has gone."

Further in the interview with Raut, Thackeray said, "(BJP President) Jagat Prakash Nadda has mentioned that there would be only one party in the country…its not one party, one election….it would be one party, no election.” 

When Raut pointed out that Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi had raised suspicion over the Maharashtra elections, Thackeray replied, “Entire Maharashtra feels so…they are shocked.” 

Meanwhile, commenting on the Jan Suraksha Bill, the politician pointed out that Raut himself was arrested under Prevention of Money Laundering Act for no reason. “(Former Prime Minister) Indira Gandhi openly declared Emergency…they don’t have that guts,” he said. 

The interview will appear on July 19 and 20 in Marathi broadsheet mouthpiece Saamana and Hindi tabloid Dophar ka Saamana besides the media group’s online and social media platforms.