Uddhav Thackeray returns to old self after NCP-Congress experiment

Mumbai: For years Mumbai Municipal Corporation which was being ruled by the Shiv Sena had demolished several religious structures including temples in Mumbai for unauthorized construction or for road widening projects. This is why it was a surprise when on Friday Uddhav Thackeray raised the issue of the Railways issuing a notice to demolish a small 'illegal' temple within the Dadar Railway station premises. The Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray which after forming an alliance with the Congress and NCPSP had tried to woo the minority community has now decided to take a right turn after the drubbing in the Maharashtra assembly polls.

On Saturday Aaditya Thackeray was supposed to go to the temple along with several Shiv Sainiks to oppose the demolition. The UBT move is a clear indication that it has decided to go back to Hindutva after finding that its core voter (Marathi+hindutva vote bank) has shifted towards Shiv Sena (Shinde).

A UBT leader said that the party's move to get the minority votes by joining hands with the Congress and NCP has not paid many dividends. "Yes,we got the benefit of the minority votes in a few seats for the Lok Sabha in Mumbai and elsewhere, however by and large it didn't benefit us. The impact was seen more in the assembly polls where Shinde's Sena performed better than us. Most of the Marathi and Hindu votes seem to have gone to Shinde sena."said a UBT leader.


He added that the party diluted its Hindutva plank to fit in with the Congress and NCPSP.