Manmohan govt will fall in one year: Thackeray

The inherent contradictions in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance would lead to the fall of Manmohan Singh government within a year, according to Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.

"There is a remote control of Left parties for the ruling dispensation, which has also got leaders like Laloo Prasad Yadav and Sharad Pawar, who lack coordination... the UPA lacks political homogeneity and it will last for a year or so," Thackeray was quoted as saying in the party mouthpiece Saamna on Monday.

The Sena chief blamed the divestment policy of the NDA regime for its poor showing in the Lok Sabha election.

"We had warned them about rampant divestment but our suggestions went unheeded," he said.

Stating that he would be touring the state for the forthcoming assembly elections, Thackeray exuded confidence that Sena-BJP would storm back to power in Maharashtra.

The Sena chief's comments came during a photo shoot on the six-lane Mumbai-Pune expressway yesterday. He was posing for ace lensman Avinash Gowarikar in connection with an upcoming book, edited by his nephew and Sena leader Raj Thackeray.