Maharashtra is Shiv Sena’s next goal: Uddhav Thackeray

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Sunday that his party’s stellar performance in the Lok Sabha polls was only a precursor to its main goal: winning the assembly polls in Maharashtra in October. He was speaking at the party’s victory rally in the city.

“We won Delhi, now we have to win Maharashtra. I promise that we will win Maharashtra as well and make it the number one state. I also promise to make Mumbai a world class city,” Mr. Thackeray said.

Referring to the party’s 18 MPs who were felicitated at the rally, Mr. Thackeray said, “Our Tigers will be going to Delhi to raise the issues of Mumbai and Maharashtra.”

Mr. Thackeray avoided any reference to his cousin and political rival Raj Thackeray who leads the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena at the rally. This despite Raj Thackeray’s dramatic announcement the previous day that he would contest elections and be his party’s chief ministerial candidate. However, Uddhav Thackeray has said in the past that party workers were keen to see him as Chief Minister.