Thane, Jan 12 (IANS) Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday launched a sharp attack on the ruling Mahayuti government, alleging widespread corruption and a systematic attempt to suppress the voice of the common man, at a rally held ahead of the municipal elections for 29 corporations, including Mumbai and Thane, scheduled for January 15.

Addressing a packed crowd alongside Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray referred to allegations of monetary influence in the election process, and praised candidates who he claimed refused bribes to switch sides.

“Raj (Thackeray) introduced two candidates today who were offered Rs 5 crore each. There is also Jyoti Tai, who refused such offers. If they hadn’t said no, we would never have known the scale of this. They did their part; now, what to do with these ‘crore-heavy’ offers is in your hands,” he said.

He also alleged that in the Kalyan-Dombivli region, particularly Ward No. 29, envelopes filled with cash were being distributed door-to-door.

“The elections are over, and the ‘appointments’ have begun,” he said, alleging that seats were being bought rather than won.

Uddhav Thackeray took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, claiming the administration had been “outsourced” to corporate interests.

Responding to criticism over coordination with Raj Thackeray, he said: “We didn’t come together for seat-sharing; we came together to awaken the Marathi manoos.”

On the language issue, he said his stance was not against other languages but against “bullying”.

“Marathi is our mother, and Hindi is our maternal aunt,” he said.

He criticised a defector for allegedly making disrespectful remarks about the “motherland”, questioning their courage and loyalty.

He also took a dig at Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s recent comments on population.

“Mohan Bhagwat says increase the family size. Fine, increase it — but how many of them will you provide jobs for?” he asked.

Uddhav Thackeray also recalled the bond his father, the late Balasaheb Thackeray, shared with Thane, and spoke about the 2012 elections.

He said that despite failing health, Balasaheb insisted on holding a rally in Thane and referred to the city as “Maze Thane” (My Thane).

–IANS

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