Sena wants to make farmers debt-free, says Uddhav

Expressing confidence that the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance would once again come to power in Maharashtra, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said his party wants to make farmers debt-free.

He was addressing a campaign rally here for Sena candidates Preeti Band who is contesting from Badnera, Sunita Fiske (Achalpur) and Rajesh Wankhade (Teosa), and BJP's Dr Sunil Deshmukh (Amravati).

Shiv Sena's manifesto for assembly polls will be released on Saturday, Thackeray said, adding, "The Sena aims to make farmers debt-free, rather than making them avail loan waiver."

Praising the Modi government's crop insurance scheme and the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, he said he would make every effort to provide six free gas cylinders per year to those in the `extremely poor' category.

He also promised to provide a full meal at Rs 10 to the poor in rural areas, and primary health check-up at Rs 1.

Talking about the outcome of the October 21 Assembly polls, he said, "You can imagine the predicament of a batsman who has to score lots of runs in very few balls. But I have no such tension. My score is decided and the target fixed. I have already won the match."

Referring to the defeat of Sena leader Anandrao Adsul from Amravati Lok Sabha constituency earlier this year, he asked party workers to ensure that it does not get replicated in the assembly polls. Betrayal would not be tolerated, Thackeray warned.

The Sena chief criticised two-term independent MLA Ravi Rana, who is seeking reelection from Badnera with the backing of the opposition Congress and NCP.

"He runs after power. He is not loyal to anybody. He is dreaming of becoming MLA on the strength of money," Thackeray said.

Rana's wife Navneet Kaur-Rana defeated Adsul in the Lok Sabha election.