Bombay:
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray today secured support for his Telangana counterpart K Chandrashekar Rao’s efforts to form an anti-BJP front, alleged damage to the country’s federalism, and “low-grade politics that are not Hindutva”. Mr Rao stated that they were practically brothers as their states shared a 1000 km border. He assured the discussions will continue and added: “We will be in Hyderabad or elsewhere in a few days and discuss more”.
It was the comments of Mr Thackeray – a longtime BJP ally who opposed it after the 2019 elections – that carried the sting.
“The situation in the country and the way low-grade politics is taking place is not Hindutva,” said Thackeray, whose party once had common ground with the BJP in right-wing politics.
“Hindutva is not about violence or revenge. If this continues, what is the future of the country?” he said.
Echoing Mamata Banerjee’s concerns about federalism, he said: “The atmosphere that should be there between states and the Center is not seen today. This policy will not work, so we have made a fresh start.”
He also spoke about how the central government uses various ways to spread false rumors about some states and some people – “defaming someone by falsely promoting what has not happened”.
