MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday targeted the BJP's central leadership, saying that in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the "plunderers of Maharashtra" will be shown the pride and courage of the state.

Thackeray was talking to reporters at the Hutatma Chowk in south Mumbai, where he paid tributes to 105 people who laid down their lives for the 'Samyukta Maharashtra' movement.

May 1 is celebrated as Maharashtra Day to mark the formation of the state.

"We will not allow Maharashtra to be anyone's slave. We will not allow plundering of Maharashtra and trampling of its pride. In the Lok Sabha elections, we will show the looters of Maharashtra what its pride and courage is," Thackeray said.

As per the seat-sharing agreement, the Sena (UBT) is contesting 21 out of the total 48 seats in Maharashtra, the Congress 17 and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) 10.

The three parties earlier shared power in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, which collapsed in June 2022 following a split in the Shiv Sena.

Elections will be held in three more phases in the state - on May 7, 13 and 20.

Voting was held earlier in two phases.