Uddhav Thackeray predicts mid-term polls in Maharashtra; asks party workers to be ready

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) supremo Uddhav Thackeray predicted mid-term elections in Maharashtra on Saturday and directed party workers to begin preparations.

Thackeray made the remarks during a meeting of the party's Assembly constituency-level functionaries at the party's headquarters, Sena Bhavan. 

The chief spokesperson for the Shiv Sena (UBT), Arvind Sawant, briefed reporters regarding the meeting. According to Sawant, Uddhav Thackeray has predicted mid-term Assembly elections in the state soon and directed cadres to begin preparations.

Mid-term elections were unavoidable after PM Modi announced projects worth Rs 2 lakh crore for Maharashtra on Thursday, according to Sawant.

"The PM's announcement also signals Maharashtra will have elections," said Sawant. "Just as voters in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat are attracted with packages and announcements."

However, there was no clarity on the specifics of the projects the PM was discussing, he added.

The Maharashtra Assembly's term is set to end in 2024. The Thackeray faction of the Sena has demanded that the party MLAs who rebelled alongside Eknath Shinde resign and face re-election.

The Maharashtra government, led by Eknath Shinde after his rebellion toppled the Thackeray-led government in June, has been accused of allowing several large-scale projects to go to Gujarat.

The Vedanta Foxconn semiconductor chip manufacturing project is worth Rs 1.54 lakh crore, and the Tata-Airbus C-295 military transport aircraft project is worth Rs 22,000 crore.  

(With inputs from PTI)

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• Aaditya Thackeray
• Arvind Sawant
• Maharashtra
• Narendra Modi
• Shiv Sena
• Uddhav Thackeray