Raj Thackeray attacks BJP for ending alliance with Shiv Sena

Launching a scathing attack against the BJP for ending its 25-year-old alliance with the Uddav Thackeray led-Shiv Sena, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray said here today that had patriarch Bal Thackeray been alive, he would have ended the alliance a month ago.
"Do you think that the BJP can now be trusted after what they did to the Shiv Sena? Some BJP leader told me that they had planned the break-up long ago. Did Uddhav not understand this? If Balasaheb would have been alive today, he would have broken the alliance a month ago itself," Thackeray said, addressing his maiden election rally here.

Maharashtra assembly polls are scheduled to be held on October 15.
Thackeray said that Uddhav should immediately ask his party leader and Shiv Sena minister in the Modi government, Anant Geete, to resign as a mark of protest against the insult meted out to the Shiv Sena.
"Instead of talking about crucial issues like corruption and farmer suicides plaguing Maharashtra, they were busy fighting for seats," he said.
"Do you know why are they (Shiv Sena and BJP) not breaking their alliance in the cash rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation? It is because the BMC is a source of income for them," he alleged.

Thackeray said that one of the first issues he would address if voted to power is affordable homes for people who stay in hutments or on rent.
"People in Maharashtra are staying in rented homes, when they can surely buy homes. If the government has the will power, it can definitely provide cheap homes to people who stay in hutments or on rent. If we are voted to power, it is our promise that we will provide cheap and affordable homes to our people," he said.