BJP Future - 5

[Capt M Kumar]

<!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo--> Thackeray’s grim birthday message: riots in offing
Express News ServicePosted online: Thursday, January 24, 2008 at 0013 hrs Print Email
MUMBAI, JANUARY 23: On his 81st birthday, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray predicted communal riots and chaos in the country and sought support for his son and executive party president Uddhav.

In the concluding part of his serialised interview published in the Sena mouthpiece Saamna on Wednesday, Thackeray said simmering discontent among communities would blow up into riots. “There will be bloodshed in the country...Hindu-Muslim riots are expected...we are not prepared,” he said, claiming that lack of governance and wrong policies of the Government would lead to chaos with the possibility of an uprising by Muslims. “Hindus, are you ready?” he asked.

Commenting on the rallies by BSP and BJP in Mumbai, he said neither the Mayawati pattern nor the Modi pattern would work in Maharashtra.

Answering a question on the move to reorganise states, he said his party would oppose separation of Vidarbha from Maharashtra. “Some ‘sethias’ (rich people) of Vidarbha want a separate state, people don’t.” He also lamented that he was spending his time recollecting old days. “I am sad about ageing, but I am helpless,” he said.

His birthday message for the people was, “You have given me love and loyalty that I won’t forget. It is my only capital...I’ll preserve it...support Uddhav,” he added.