BJP-led government ignoring problems of farmers, says Aaditya Thackeray

CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINGAR: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of turning a blind eye to rising inflation and miseries of farmers.

The former Maharashtra minister hit out at the BJP and accused it of splitting other parties for its own political gains.

Speaking at a rally after Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Omprakash Rajenimbalkar filed his nomination papers from the Osmanabad (Dharashiv) Lok Sabha constituency in Marathwada, Aaditya Thackeray said when farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh came to New Delhi to raise their demands, they were dubbed "terrorists" by some people.

The farmers' agitation was dealt with by the police by resorting to lathi-charge and hurling tear gas shells, he said.

"The BJP's promise in 2014 that fuel prices would come down has not materialised yet," noted the former state minister.

He maintained that Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray's slogan of ousting the BJP from power given in New Delhi last month is now being heard in states like Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal and Bihar.

"The BJP earlier split the Shiv Sena and then the NCP. It tried to do the same with the Congress too. Now, they are trying to steal one Thackeray (a reference to MNS president Raj Thackeray who has declared support to ruling coalition), but the BJP will face defeat in Maharashtra," the junior Thackeray asserted.

Rajenimbalkar had defeated Ranajagjitsinha Patil of the undivided NCP with a difference of 1.27 lakh votes in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The seat had been won by the Shiv Sena (undivided) five times since 1996.

The ruling NCP led by deputy CM Ajit Pawar has fielded Archana Patil, wife of Ranajagjitsinha Patil, from the seat.