Hunger for power like drug addiction: Maharashtra CM Uddhav targets BJP

Thackeray also said that he was committed to the word that he gave to his late father Balasaheb Thackeray that a Shiv Sainik would occupy the post of CM of Maharashtra

Launching a scathing attack on the BJP, Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said that hunger for power is like drug addiction.

“Hunger for power is nothing but drug addiction,” Thackeray said addressing the annual Dussehra rally at the Shanmukhananda Hall at Kings’ Circle.

“If you are into drug addiction, you destroy yourself, your family… but hunger for power destroys families of others,” said Thackeray, who heads the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance government.

Lashing out at BJP, he said: “Hindutva is under threat. It is under threat from those who have climbed the ladder of power using Hindutva. These people will now use the Britishers’ strategy to divide and rule. They will create differences in society… we have to be careful against such plans.”

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According to him, there have been several attempts to “topple and break” the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. “Very soon we would be completing two years,” the chief minister said.

Thackeray also said that he was committed to the word that he gave to his late father Balasaheb Thackeray that a Shiv Sainik would occupy the post of chief minister of Maharashtra.

“I would have kept away had BJP offered the chief minister’s post to a Shiv Sainik…. But now I am on chair discharging duties very firmly,” he said and reaffirmed the Shiv Sena’s commitment towards Hindutva and welfare of the Marathi people.

He also asked the BJP not to threaten the MVA by using agencies like CBI, ED and I-T Department. “Don’t dare to challenge us,” he said.

Thackeray also congratulated the West Bengal chief minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee. “I want to congratulate the people of West Bengal,” he said in a reference to the recent polls, in which BJP was defeated.

“Are you ready for such a thing in Maharashtra?” he asked amid thunderous applause and cheers.

Thackeray also accused the BJP of tarnishing the image of Maharashtra. “Jilted lovers sometimes throw acid on girls who rebuff their advances. This is what seems to be happening to Maharashtra. Rebuffed politicians, who have lost power are engaging in similar things,” he said.

“They call the Maharashtra Police as ‘mafia’… officers and men from this same police have laid down their lives during the 26/11 terror attacks,” he said, adding: “Maharashtra is viewed from a different angle. If something happens in Maharashtra they (BJP) say ‘democracy was murdered’ here… this is the case in Maharashtra, then what about Uttar Pradesh… if police is ‘mafia’ (in Maharashtra), the police is ‘Bharat-bhushan’ in Uttar Pradesh,” he said mockingly.

Referring to defence minister Rajnath Singh’s statement on Veer Savarkar, he said: “BJP hasn't understood either Veer Savarkar or Mahatma Gandhi”.

Further hitting out at the BJP, Thackeray said: “They claim to be the world's biggest party… Maharashtra has seen two bye-elections… in both these elections it needed to borrow candidates from other parties”.

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