Assembly polls is fight against those who hate Maharashtra: Uddhav Thackeray

Thane: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday accused Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of "bowing" before Delhi, and said the coming assembly elections are a fight against those who "hate" the state.

Speaking at a party workers' gathering in Thane city, Shinde's bastion, he also accused the state government of "bribing" voters with the announcement of its flagship scheme Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana months ahead of the elections, due in October.

Women should take benefit of the scheme as it is their own money, but should not compromise on self-respect, the former chief minister added.

"They are bowing before Delhi," Thackeray said, attacking Shinde who heads the rival Shiv Sena, adding that the Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's struggle was about refusing to bow before Delhi.

"The state assembly fight will be with the ones who hate Maharashtra," Thackeray added.

Earlier, as Thackeray arrived for the event at the Gadkari Rangayatan auditorium here, workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) staged a protest and threw tomatoes and cow dung at his convoy. Police detained some MNS workers.

Thackeray made no mention of the incident in his speech.

On Friday, Sena (UBT) supporters had thrown betel nuts at the convoy of MNS chief Raj Thackeray, Uddhav's estranged cousin, in Beed city.

Uddhav Thackeray, in his speech, also claimed that the assembly elections could be held in November so that the ruling alliance gets maximum benefit of the Ladki Bahin scheme under which eligible women get Rs 1500 per month.

His party workers were his 'wagh-nakh', and he was not afraid of "Abdali", the former chief minister said.

"My Sainiks (Sena workers) are my `wagh nakh', which is why I do not fear Abdali," Thackeray said.

Last month Thackeray had dubbed BJP leader Amit Shah as "Ahmed Shah Abdali" after the Union home minister accused him of being the head of the "Aurangzeb fan club." 'Wagh-nakh' or tiger-claw, a hand-held weapon, is said to have been used by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj when he killed Bijapur sultanate general Afzal Khan in 1659. The weapon is currently on display at a museum in Satara.

Thackeray also alleged that in Thane, contracts of the civic body were given to a few select contractors. The Thane Municipal Corporation was in bad shape and going bankrupt, he claimed.

He also urged party workers to focus on verifying electoral rolls to prevent bogus voting, and take the 'flaming torch' symbol of the party to every person in a constituency.