Sharad Pawar, Uddhav using Maratha quota stir to incite riots before polls: Raj Thackeray

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Aug 10 (PTI) Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday alleged Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray were trying to use the Maratha quota stir to trigger riots ahead of the state assembly elections, especially in Marathwada region.

Addressing a news conference in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Raj Thackeray claimed Uddhav and Pawar are using the Manoj Jarange-led quota stir as a shield for caste politics.

"Using his agitation as a shield, people like Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray are doing politics in Marathwada," Raj Thackeray said on the concluding day of his Marathwada tour, a day after some workers, suspected to be belonging to Shiv Sena (UBT), threw betel nuts when his convoy was passing in Beed city.

Four Shiv Sena (UBT) workers were held for the act.

Speaking about the incident, the MNS chief claimed the (Beed) district Shiv Sena (UBT) president raised casteist slogans to show his allegiance to Jarange.

He said Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Uddhav Thackeray, and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) will not be able to organise a single rally in Maharashtra if they try to create obstacles during his tour.

Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut admitted that those who protested against Raj Thackeray could be office-bearers of the Thackeray-led faction. He, however, distanced the Shiv Sena (UBT) from the Friday demonstration.

Maratha quota activists had led the agitation, he claimed.

Meanwhile, Raj Thackeray claimed Muslim and Dalit votes went against PM Narendra Modi during Lok Sabha elections as they believed in the Opposition's narrative on the Constitution.

Notably, the ruling BJP and its allies had acknowledged the false narrative that 'BJP will change the Constitution if voted to power again' affected the NDA prospects in elections.

The MNS chief, however, claimed the narrative on changing the Constitution was not fake. Some BJP leaders had spoken so (about BJP's intent to do so if it returns to power with a massive mandate), he recalled.

In the Marathwada region, the epicentre of the Maratha quota stir, the BJP failed to win even a single Lok Sabha seat.

"That voting (in Lok Sabha) for the Opposition was not because of their (people's) love for them (opposition parties). They (Uddhav and Sharad Pawar) think a similar trick should be played in upcoming assembly elections," Raj Thackeray claimed.

He slammed Sharad Pawar for raising the potential of Manipur-like unrest in Maharashtra.

"These people should worry that the situation in the state should not be like Manipur. You (people) will realise what runs in their minds. Their (Uddhav and Pawar's) efforts are to engineer riots, especially in Marathwada in the three-and-a-half months (assembly elections are due in October)," Raj Thackeray claimed.

Instead of ensuring caste politics is not played in Maharashtra, Sharad Pawar is aiding it, he alleged.

According to Raj Thackeray, hatred among castes percolated in Maharashtra after Sharad Pawar founded the Nationalist Congress Party (in 1999).

The MNS chief alleged Sharad Pawar didn't use his good relations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve the quota impasse in Maharashtra.

Uddhav Thackeray also didn't bat for the Maratha reservation when Shiv Sena (undivided), led by him, was in alliance with BJP from 2014 to 2019, he said. PTI