Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: After supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led NDA alliance, the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is contemplating going solo in the upcoming Vidhan Sabha polls, scheduled around October.
This comes as a cause of concern not only for the BJP-led Maha Yuti (NDA) but also the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (I.N.D.I.A).
During a meeting of the MNS held in Mumbai on Thursday, Raj was highly critical of the two diametrically-opposite sides of the political spectrum and asked his team to prepare for the decisive polls and come to power.
The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly comprises 288 seats and for both Maha Yuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi, the seat-sharing is going to be very important and it's clear that Raj does not want to take any chances.
“Dont think about whether alliance would happen or not…we would contest 225 seats on our own strength,” Raj said amid thunderous applause.
Raj, the charismatic nephew of late Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and estranged cousin of now Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray, is planning to tour the state in August.
“Depending on the weather and monsoon situation, I would start touring from 1 August onwards,” he said.
“I have never seen such a situation in Maharashtra…who is where, it is difficult to know…who is going where, we don’t know,” he said.
According to him, winnability would be the deciding factor as far as distribution of tickets are concerned.
Reacting to Raj’s statement, NCP (SP) leader Dr Jitendra Awhad said, "Even the members of his family can't say for certain when Raj Thackeray will change his role.
Show me one time, when he has taken a step and stuck to it. Being an avid film watcher has slipped into his real life as likes to play all roles."