Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday dared the Opposition BJP to topple his government. Mr. Thackeray said despite being a three-wheeler government, he was firmly in control of its steering wheel.
“Why wait for September-October as is being speculated. Topple the government right now since you get pleasure in toppling. Some people derive pleasure in constructive work while some are happy in destruction. If you feel happy in destruction, go ahead,” the Chief Minister said in an interview to Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna.
Mr. Thackeray, who is also the president of the Shiv Sena, said the government is being benefited from the experience of other two alliance partners — the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress.
“The future of my government is not in the hands of the opposition. The steering wheel is in my hands,” said Mr. Thackeray, ahead of his 60th birthday on Monday.
He was interviewed by Sena’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut.
“You say the MVA government is formed against the democratic principles but is it called democracy when you topple it?” Mr Thackeray asked.
He also rejected criticism that bureaucracy has an upper hand in his government. “The government is the decision-maker and bureaucracy implements the decisions,” he added. He also said the Congress's grievance of being neglected in the three-party alliance government was resolved after his meeting with the state Congress leaders.
Taking a dig at the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Mr. Thackeray said, “If ours is a three-wheeler government, then how many wheels does NDA have?”
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