Maharashtra politics: Uddhav Thackeray dares BJP to finish him; says he disagrees with Ajit Pawar's remark about NCP chief's age

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Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray dared the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to finish him and asserted he has the blessings of his late father Bal Thackeray and the people, reported news agency PTI.

In an interview to party mouthpiece Saamana's executive editor Sanjay Raut, Thackeray wanted to know how the BJP could take credit for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya when it was not ready to take responsibility for the demolition of the Babri Masjid there in 1992, reported PTI.

In the second part of the interview, which was published in Saamana on Thursday, the former Maharashtra chief minister said it was the Supreme Court, which resolved the Ram temple issue.

"If you want to finish me then do that. Let us see. I have the blessings of my father and the people," said Thackeray, attacking the BJP.

Thackeray also asserted that his country is his family, underlining that "this is his Hindutva".

Thackeray said he disagreed with rebel Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar that NCP supremo Sharad Pawar should retire due to his age.

"We always respect elders and this respect should be maintained. What if someone has aged. Whom should we take blessings from. I did not like his (Ajit Pawar) remark (on Sharad Pawar)," Thackeray added.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief asserted that such statements went against the tradition of Maharashtra.

Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs, including Chhagan Bhujbal, Hasan Mushrif and Dilip Walse Patil, had joined the Eknath Shinde government on July 2.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief also claimed his father and Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray had saved Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and sought to know if this (attacking him) was how one repaid a favour.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) routinely claims it was Bal Thackeray who saved Modi from being removed as Gujarat chief minister after the 2002 riots there by speaking to then deputy prime minister and BJP stalwart LK Advani.

Earlier, taking a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray had claimed the Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax department and the CBI are the "only three strong parties" in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

In an interview to Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, who is the executive editor of Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece 'Saamana', Thackeray also slammed the Centre over the ethnic strife in Manipur and said Prime minister Narendra Modi is not even ready to visit the north-eastern state.

Taking an aim at a recent meeting of the BJP-led NDA, Thackeray claimed when elections approach, for the BJP its government is the NDA government. After the polls are over, it becomes the Modi-government, he added.

(With inputs from PTI)