BJP's old 'nation first' ideology replaced with ‘goons first’ motto: Uddhav Thackeray

Thane: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said the BJP has replaced its old "nation first" ideology with the "goons and thieves first” motto and accused the former ally of vitiating the atmosphere along the linguistic and religious lines.

Addressing a joint rally with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, Uddhav said the “old BJP”, which once believed in the ideology of “nation first”, "is dead".

He emphasised that the next mayors of Mumbai and Thane will be Maharashtrians.

Targeting his arch-rival and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde on his home turf of Thane, Uddhav said the BJP will "use and throw" Shinde in Mumbai and Thane.

He said the upcoming municipal corporations on January 15 are not about the Thackeray brothers but about people.

"No one is raising a voice against their (the BJP's) mob rule. We are patriots, we are 'bhakts (devotees) of Maharashtra, we are not bhakts of Modi or BJP," Uddhav added.

He urged people to vote for the Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance, as it can only ensure a good life for citizens.

"This is an election to determine the direction of life. This is the word of Thackerays," Uddhav said.

He accused the BJP of vitiating the atmosphere on the lines of religion and language, asserting that the next mayors of Mumbai and Thane will be Marathi individuals.

Attacking the Devendra Fadnavis-led dispensation, Uddhav said Maharashtra has never seen such a shameless government.

"The old BJP is dead because the old BJP stood for the nation first ideology. Now, for them, the corrupt and thieves and goons come first," he said.

He said the BJP-led government has no control over the administration. "Mumbai and Thane are reduced to waste," Uddhav said, citing the air pollution.

Speaking before Uddhav, Raj Thackeray once again targeted industrialist Gautam Adani and accused the Centre of favouring the Adani group.

He said, barring the Navi Mumbai airport, none of the airports currently controlled by Adani was built or run before.

He accused the conglomerate of taking over the airports and ports in the country from others at "gunpoint.

Hitting back at the BJP for posting a photograph featuring him and Adani at his residence, Raj said the saffron party is rattled.

"They (the BJP) came with a photograph of me and Gautam Adani. He had come to my place once. So were Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani, and Anand Mahindra. Many industrialists had visited my residence. Many film actors also come to my place. Just because they visited me doesn't mean that I will hide their sins," Raj said.

"I will not care for friendship when Mumbai and Thane are in danger," the MNS president said.

He said the BJP wants to connect Mumbai and its satellite cities to Gujarat and appealed to the Gujarati community to oppose such conspiracies.

"We are not against other languages or their speakers. But if you bully us in our house, we won't tolerate.” Raj and Uddhav slammed the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena for using money to lure opponents in the civic body polls.

Raj said a family contesting the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) elections was offered Rs 15 crore to withdraw from the race.

The MNS chief also criticised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for defending Tamil Nadu BJP leader K. Annamalai, a former IPS officer, who had said Mumbai was not a Maharashtrian city but an international city.

"Mumbai is not your property," Raj said, targeting Annamalai.