Maharashtra Assembly polls: 'Balasaheb was first to push for scrapping of Article 370', says Uddhav Thackeray

Complete waiver of farm loans, wholesome meals for just Rs 10, a 30% waiver on power tariffs for domestic consumers using up to 300 units, health check-ups for just Re 1, and a special bus service for rural students. Kicking off his party's campaign for the Maharashtra assembly polls, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray rolled out a slew of promises for the electorate, while seeking to soothe his cadre on the alliance with the BJP. He also reminded the crowd that many moves made by the new government, such as the scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir were issues originally raised by Sena's founder Bal Thackeray.

Justifying his decision to ally with the BJP, albeit on unfavourable terms, Uddhav said the alliance had been formalised on the agenda of Hindutva and nationalism. "Once we come to power, loans of farmers will be waived off. Like the Re 1 zhunka bhakar scheme (which was launched during the erstwhile Shiv Sena- BJP regime and proved to be controversial), we will give meals for Rs 10," said Uddhav, speaking at the party's annual Dusshera rally at the Shivaji Park grounds on Tuesday.

He also promised to reduce power tariffs by 30% for domestic consumers using up to 300 units, health check-ups for just Re 1, which would also cover lifestyle disorders such as diabetes and heart disease, a bus service for rural students and schemes for youth to harness the demographic dividend. The Sena will also roll out welfare measures for senior citizens.

"An alliance means an adjustment," said the Sena president, "You gain something, you lose something. I personally apologise to all those prospective candidates who will not get a seat."

He added that the state chief and revenue minister Chandrakantdada Patil had appealed that the Sena understand BJP's limitations. "I want power, at any cost... we entered into an alliance. Some may have felt that the Shiv Sena succumbed. The Shiv Sena has never succumbed and no one can make it succumb," he thundered. Uddhav also sought that Home Minister Amit Shah fulfil another demand made by the late party supremo, that of "kicking out Bangladeshi infiltrators".

He pointed out that the Congress and NCP had tried to appropriate a demand originally raised by the Shiv Sena — 80% job reservation for sons of the soil in Maharashtra. Uddhav claimed that before the Lok Sabha polls, he decided to let bygones be bygones, and ally with the BJP as otherwise, there was a risk of leaders such as Sharad Pawar, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Chandrababu Naidu, Nitish Kumar and Mayawati becoming the Prime Minister. "What could we have done in case of a hung Lok Sabha? We can never throw our strength behind Congress. We have allied for the sake of the saffron flag and Hindutva," he explained.

Coming to issues that unite the two parties, he said that Sena has been demanding a special law to build the Ram temple at Ayodhya. "We are not demanding a Ram Mandir for politics or for votes... we want the temple to show how our regime and governance will be," sought Uddhav. He pointed to how leaders of social groups such as the Dhangars (shepherds) and Muslims were joining the party's ranks.

Earlier, the party's MP in the Rajya Sabha, Sanjay Raut, said while the Shiv Sena had settled for lesser seats for the state assembly compared to the BJP, "this was like taking a step back for the next high jump and long jump."