Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray (file photo)

AURANGABAD: Taking a dig at Devendra Fadnavis , Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday linked the chief minister’s assembly poll campaign slogan, “Mee Punha Yein” (I’ll return) to the ‘unwanted’ rainfall that has wreaked havoc in parts of Marathwada.

“The rain, in the monsoon’s withdrawal phase, has been saying: ‘I’ll return, I’ll return’. However, people are scared of these words now,” Uddhav said in an oblique reference to Fadnavis.

Amidst the tussle between the BJP and Sena over power-sharing in Maharashtra, the CM’s “Mee Punha Yein” slogan has spawned several memes and jokes on social media.

Thackeray, who refrained from directly commenting on the uncertain political scenario in the state, said time would tell if the Sena retains power or gets edged out.

He also parried queries on party leader Sanjay Raut ’s comment that the Sena has arrived at a solution by garnering the support of around 175 MLAs. “Yes, we have arrived at a solution on the matter of extending a helping hand to farmers in distress,” he said in an evasive response.

Addressing reporters after a brief visit to a few rain-affected rural areas in Aurangabad district, Thackeray demanded a blanket Rs 25,000 per hectare assistance, without any conditions, for the rain-affected farmers. “A few of the affected farmers expressed helplessness to the extent of wanting to commit suicide. I have assured the farming community that our party is with them in these tough times,” he said.

Stressing that the affected farmers need immediate help, failing which they will not be able to prepare for the upcoming rabi season, he added: “We will speak to the insurance companies and banks too. These institutions must adopt a humanitarian approach while dealing with farmers instead of getting stuck in different formalities.”

Stating that the Rs 10,000-crore aid offered by the chief minister was inadequate to overcome the current agrarian crisis, Thackeray said the Centre should also step in to offer relief to farmers.

“PM Narendra Modi was in Ausa (Latur) while campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections a few months ago, when Marathwada was reeling under drought. I had publicly sought help from him then, but nothing has happened. The Centre must not hesitate to help farmers in Maharashtra this time,” he said.

Thackeray also said that his party has serious apprehensions about the Asia-wide Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, which is a proposed free-trade agreement between the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its six free-trade agreement partners, including India.

“We believe the Modi government is likely to sign the RCEP agreement, but the Centre has not made public its pros and cons. It might have been presented before the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, but the country needs to know its impact before the deal is signed,” he said. “We will oppose the agreement if it has any adverse clauses that would harm the interests of the farmers.”

