Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief 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, while releasing the manifesto at his residence ‘Matoshree’ in Mumbai, said most of the poll promises are part of the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi’s (MVA) overall assurances, but there are some points which need special attention.
Thackeray said every district will have a temple of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
He also promised to implement the Old Pension Scheme and remove the cap of 50 per cent reservation.
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.
He also promised free travel for women in public transport buses.
Apart from recruiting 18,000 women in state’s police force, Thackeray said all female police stations will also be established in Maharashtra.
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.
Affordable houses will be built for “sons of the soil” in urban, semi-urban and rural areas, he added.
Thackeray also said if the MVA comes to power, it will scrap cluster development of Koliwadas (fishing community settlements) and Gaothans (villages) and their development will be done after taking the residents into confidence.
On generating employment, the Sena (UBT) head said his party will work towards creating jobs. Job fairs will be held in each district every three months, he added.
Thackeray also said that an International Finance Centre will be established in the state.
No campaign in Mahim
Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said there was no need to campaign for his party candidate in Mahim, a seat where his estranged cousin Raj Thackeray’s son Amit and ruling Shiv Sena’s Sadanand Sarvankar are in the fray. He said there was lack of time to hold a rally in each and every constituency of the state. He, however, said the party has approached the authorities, seeking permission to hold a rally at the Shivaji Park on November 17.
“I don’t need to campaign in Mahim. It is my constituency. It is Shiv Sena’s constituency,” Thackeray told reporters here.
“We have sought permission because that is the last evening of campaigning. November 17 is also the anniversary of Shiv Sena Pramukh. Lakhs of Shiv Sainiks come there and they will also come there this year.”
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