Uddhav Thackeray reminds BJP of temple promise

Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has slammed  the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the delay in fulfilling its 2014 election promise of constructing the Ram temple in Ayodhya before the next election, asking its ally why it was unable to take a decision on the temple with the same zeal with which demonetisation was executed.

After addressing party members during the party’s preparatory meet for the eight Lok Sabha seats in western Maharashtra in Pune, Mr Thackeray, while interacting with the media, continued his anti-BJP tirade and also criticised BJP’s ‘failure’ to implement the Uniform Civil Code and abrogate article 370 of the Constitution.

“Despite being in the majority, the party has failed to implement its election promises on these important issues. These issues have been forgotten and they aren’t being discussed,” said Mr Thackeray.

Referring to the BJP’s decision to distribute the Bhagwat Gita to select colleges in Mumbai, Mr Thackeray dismissed it as an attempt to cover up the controversies surrounding the University of Mumbai such as the exam mess and results delay.

Answering queries regarding the Nanar project, Mr Thackeray said that the Shiv Sena was and would remain against chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’ pet project. He added that the Sena was with the people of Konkan and would not allow the proposed Rs 3 trillion oil refinery and integrated petrochemicals complex to come up.