Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray slams Sharad Pawar's statement at workers' rally

NASHIK: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray who was in Nashik to meet party activists and leaders criticised union agriculture minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar today, for his statement at a workers' rally yesterday.

During a workers' rally in Navi Mumbai yesterday Pawar had reportedly asked workers to "take advantage" of multi-phase polling in Maharashtra from April 17 to April 24, by voting twice.

Allegedly, Pawar asked them to vote first at their hometowns and also at their work place in Mumbai later, which created a controversy among opposition parties.

"After Pawar's statement, we come to know how his party wins elections," Uddhav Thackeray told reporters and described Pawar as a "motha kalakar" (a big artiste).

Thackeray also said that Shiv Sena would contest Lok Sabha polls, but party would not contest against NDA candidates.

He said that his party would announce its decision regarding the candidature of former social welfare minister and sitting Shiv Sena MLA from Devlali, Babanrao Gholap, whose name was announced by the party to contest Lok Sabha polls from the Shirdi parliamentary constituency.

Incidentally, after Gholap's name was announced, sitting Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP, Bhausaheb Waghchoure left the Sena and joined the Congress and is now contesting from Shirdi.

A Mumbai court had convicted Babanrao Gholap in a disproportionate assets case last week.

Gholap's son Yogesh Gholap would be the probable Shiv Sena Lok Sabha candidate from Shirdi, party sources said.