Maharashtra Polls: Uddhav Thackeray Releases Sena (UBT) Manifesto; Promises Free Education, Scrap Dharavi Project

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray promised the scrapping of the controversial Dharavi redevelopment project, expanding free education for male students, and regulating essential prices.

File photo of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Source : PTI

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray launched his party's manifesto for the Maharashtra assembly polls on Thursday. In the manifesto, he promised the scrapping of the controversial Dharavi redevelopment project, expanding free education for male students, and regulating essential prices.

The manifesto, unveiled at Thackeray’s residence ‘Matoshree,’ includes a commitment to build a temple in every Maharashtra district in honour of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

According to a report by news agency PTI, Thackeray highlighted that while many promises align with the opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), specific proposals deserve special attention.

As a member of the MVA alliance, along with Congress and Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP), Thackeray noted that the alliance’s collective manifesto would soon follow in preparation for the November 20 elections. On the Dharavi project, Thackeray stated it would be scrapped due to potential impacts on Mumbai.

He also pledged to implement the Old Pension Scheme, remove the 50 per cent reservation cap, and extend free education to male students, similar to female students who already benefit from this under the existing policy. Additionally, women would have free access to public buses.

The party plans to recruit 18,000 women into the police force and establish women-only police stations across Maharashtra. Stabilising essential commodity prices is also a priority, he said.

Dharavi Redevelopment Project Will Be Scrapped: Thackeray

The former chief minister said the Dharavi redevelopment project will be scrapped as the project has ramifications for Mumbai. Thackeray detailed that a housing policy would be developed for Maharashtra, considering rapid urbanisation, to provide affordable homes for "sons of the soil" across urban, semi-urban, and rural areas.

The MVA government would discontinue cluster development of Koliwadas (fisherfolk settlements) and Gaothans (urban villages), ensuring residents’ input is prioritized in development projects.

Job creation is a key focus, with district-level job fairs proposed every three months. Thackeray also promised to establish an International Finance Centre in the state.