Uddhav's Sena (UBT) releases manifesto; promises free education, scrapping of Dharavi project
Mumbai (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday unveiled his party's manifesto for the Maharashtra assembly polls, assuring free education for male students, stabilising prices of essential items and scrapping of the Dharavi redevelopment project.
Thackeray said most of the poll promises are part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) overall assurances, but there are some points which need special attention.
The MVA, which comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP), will also launch its manifesto for the November 20 state assembly polls, he said.
Thackeray assured that the way female students in the state were getting free education under a government policy, it will be implemented for male students as well if the MVA comes to power.
The MVA will also keep stable the prices of essential commodities, he said.
On the Dharavi redevelopment project, the former chief minister said it will be scrapped as the project will have ramifications on Mumbai.
Maharashtra and Mumbai will also have a housing policy keeping the rapid urbanisation in mind, he said.
Thackeray said if the MVA comes to power, it will scrap cluster development of Koliwadas and Gaothans and it will be done after taking the residents into confidence.
The Sena (UBT) head also said his party will work towards creating jobs.
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No need for guv: DMK leader Kanimozhi
Chennai (PTI): Senior DMK leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi on Friday reiterated her party’s opposition to the office of the governor amid uncertainty over government formation in Tamil Nadu after a fractured election mandate.
Speaking to PTI Videos, Kanimozhi emphasised that the DMK’s demand for the abolition of the governor’s post remained unchanged, especially as questions arise over constitutional propriety during the current political transition.
"Our position that we do not need a governor at all is something the DMK has never changed at any point in time," she said.
When asked about the governor’s actions following the election results—particularly the delay in inviting the leading party to form the government—Kanimozhi pointed to what she described as the "inherent friction" between the office of the governor and the political interests of the state.
She said the current situation "raises a lot of questions" and requires introspection regarding constitutional procedures.
Kanimozhi described the election results as lacking a "clear mandate", which she identified as the primary reason for the prevailing political uncertainty in the state.
"What the people decide is supreme," she said, adding that while the mandate was not decisive, it must be respected.
The Thoothukudi MP attributed the ongoing delays and "many confusions" to the absence of a decisive majority for any single party.
She firmly dismissed rumours about the DMK potentially supporting the AIADMK from outside to help stabilise the government.
She described such reports as mere "speculation" and "rumours".
"We can’t be responding to every rumour," she said, declining to comment on the AIADMK’s claims regarding its numbers to form the government.
The political situation in Tamil Nadu remains fluid as stakeholders await the governor’s next constitutional step in an Assembly where no party has secured a clear majority.
The DMK and AIADMK—both of which suffered significant losses to the TVK—are reportedly exploring tactical manoeuvres to navigate the hung Assembly.
The TVK, with 108 seats and the support of Congress’s five MLAs, is still short of the majority mark. The DMK and AIADMK secured 59 and 47 seats, respectively.
