Strong govt needed but not of one party with brute majority: Uddhav

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said the country needs a strong government but not of one party with brute majority.

Speaking at his party’s annual Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai, Thackeray said when the “chair” (of ruler) is unstable, the country becomes strong. He batted for a “mili-juli sarkar’ and referred to the governments under Manmohan Singh, P V Narasimha Rao and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

“We saw a strong government. There should be a strong government, but not of any one party with a brute majority,” he said, targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), his friend-turned-foe.

The BJP or (its predecessor) Jana Sangh played no role in any struggle including that for the country’s freedom, Marathwada liberation struggle or the Samyukta (united) Maharashtra movement, the former chief minister claimed.

Attempts were being made to “steal” the Shiv Sena, he said, slamming the Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Warning his rivals, Thackeray said, “After we come to power, we will hang upside down those who are harassing us.”