'What Did I Ask For? Stars And Moon?' Says Uddhav Thackeray On Splitting Ties With BJP

Soon after the Assembly election results, Shiv Sena demanded rotation of the chief minister's post and equal power-sharing in the state government, which was rejected by then ally BJP.

Image: PTI

New Delhi: Maharashtra Chief Minister  and Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray has trained guns at the Bharatiya Janata Party in an interview published in Sena’s mouthpiece Saamna. Thackeray said that if the BJP had kept its promise, he would not have been on the CM's chair but there would have been another Shiv Sainik in his place. “What would have happened if BJP had kept his promise? What did I ask for? Had I asked for the moon and the stars? We sought only what was decided between us before the Lok Sabha elections,” he said. He said, "Accepting the post of Chief Minister was neither came as a surprise to me nor was it my dream. I confess with the utmost sincerity that I was prepared to go to any level to fulfil promise made to Balasaheb Thackeray.” He said, "I want to make it clear that the Chief Minister's post is not the fulfillment of the promise but a step taken in the direction of promise." “To take a step in that direction, I had decided to go to any level. I have to fulfil the promise given to my father and I will do that,” he said. Watch this report: "There are several types of shock. Did people like it or not, it is the important part. I have spoken on this issue (alliance with NCP and Congress) several times and even people have understood this. Making promises and keeping them are two different things. If someone breaks a promise, pain and anger is obvious," he added. The Chief Minister said that he does not know if BJP "has come out their shock till now or not." "But I have to say if they had kept their promise what would have happened, what a big deal had I asked for? Did I ask for stars and moon? I only asked for what was decided before Lok Sabha polls, when we decided seat distribution," he said. He further said, "Maharashtra and the country are watching (who betrayed/shocked whom), I don't need to say much on this." Soon after the Assembly election results, Shiv Sena demanded rotation of the chief minister's post and equal power-sharing in the state government, which was rejected by then ally BJP. The weeks of political stalemate led to the imposition of President's rule on November 13. Firm on its demands, Sena, the second-largest party in the state, did not hesitate to cobble up with the ideological opponents -- NCP and Congress - and was given the chief minister's post. (Additional inputs from ANI)