Parties that love the country and motherland have come together, said Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday, a day after 26 opposition parties formed the INDIA coalition, and asserted there is now a strong front against “dictatorship”.

Talking to reporters on the premises of Vidhan Bhavan, Thackeray stressed that the fight is not against any person or party, but is against “dictatorship”.

“Leaders, prime ministers and chief ministers come and go. But the precedent that is being created is detrimental to the country. So all parties that love the country and motherland have come together and there is now a strong front against dictatorship,” Thackeray said.

In a meeting of 26 opposition parties, which included the Sena (UBT), in Bengaluru on Tuesday, a proposal was adopted unanimously to name their coalition the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

The original suggestion was to call it “Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance”, but the word “democratic” was replaced with “developmental” after some leaders said it sounded too similar to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Thackeray also participated in the meeting.

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