Mumbai: Making a bizarre demand, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray urged the electorate to vote the MNS to the opposition benches in the state assembly. Addressing a rally at Santacruz for MNS, Bandra East candidate Akhil Chitre, the MNS president argued that the state needs a strong opposition which is strong, effective and one which will not drag along behind anyone. He argued that a ruling party legislator cannot ask questions of his own government. Thackeray further remarked that if there is no strong opposition in the legislature, then the government will not spare a moment to bulldoze the people.
Stating that he would come back to seek the electorates blessings for power in the future, the MNS chief added that at the present moment the need of the hour is for a strong opposition that can ask questions of the government. Thackeray stated that it has now become clear that the ruling party legislators cannot get things done from the government. The MNS chief said that his MNS MLAs sitting in the opposition benches will get things done from the government.
The MNS chief speech was contrary to the expectations and was less of fire and brime-stone aimed at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena. Expectation was that the MNS chief would lash out at the BJP, especially after his recent sojourn to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office.
Commenting upon his yesterdays aborted rally at Pune, Thackeray stated that half an hour of rains brought the entire city of Pune to its knees. He said that the planning of the cities has collapsed. When elections come those in power come to the electorate and paste their election manifestos on your face. Commenting upon former Congress leader of opposition in legislative assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil joining the BJP, he said that if the opposition leader himself crosses over to the ruling party and if the ruling party legislators do not have the guts to question their own government, then who will raise your question.
Referring to the collapsed PMC Bank, he claimed that all those who were on the board of directors of the bank belong to the ruling BJP. Thackeray stated that the government is behaving as per its own whims and fancies and there is no hope of any justice from the courts of law. Lashing out at the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led opposition, the MNS chief remarked that if the opposition is also going to drag itself behind the government, the people are not going to hold the government accountable then who will ask questions of the government, he added.
