Uddhav Thackeray warns of 'quake' if no loan waivers

Warning of a 'political earthquake' if the state government did not implement farm loan waivers, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray said that the BJP was talking of mid-term polls in Maharashtra to divert attention from this issue.

Uddhav was speaking to reporters? at the temple town of Shegaon in Vidarbha on Thursday.

"If loan waivers are not granted there will be a (political) earthquake," said Uddhav, while responding to questions.

"I feel that this is being talked about to divert attention away from the topic (loan waivers)," he added when asked about Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' statement about the possibility of mid-term polls. "These mid-term polls will cost a lot of money. This should be given to farmers. Then there will no need for mid-term elections. The farm loans should be written off without any conditionalities," said Uddhav.

The Shiv Sena party president said they were continuing with their campaign to waive off agricultural loans and added that "the Shiv Sena was solving issues confronting the people despite being in power."

Lashing out at BJP state president Raosaheb Danve for his disparaging words against farmers, Uddhav said farmers would teach such politicians a lesson. Reiterating the Shiv Sena's demand for complete loan waivers, he added that the fires of farmers' unrest in India were lit by agriculturists in Maharashtra.

"The crux of the problem is that farmers do not get remunerative pricing for their produce," said Uddhav, adding that long-term solutions were necessary.