MNS chief Raj Thackeray ask party workers in Nashik to start afresh

Following the rout faced by MNS in state Assembly elections and mass resignation of party workers from the local unit recently, MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday said he will start afresh to strengthen party activities in Nashik.

Over 100 party workers, senior leaders, including former MLA Vasant Gite, Nashik district unit president Sachin Thakre and secretary Atul Chandak had resigned early this month after party's top brass blamed their legislators for the October poll debacle. The party, which earlier had three MLAs in the Nashik constituency, lost on two seats while one of the three MLAs, did not contest in the recent assembly polls.

Talking to reporters here, Thackeray said he has given up on what happened in the past and asked party workers to start afresh. Soon changes will be announced in the Nashik unit, he said. Thackeray, speaking about the development of the city, said he wanted to build Nashik as the 'City of gardens' and added that in civic-body run Marathi medium schools, it is important that attention is paid on English subject.Generic medical centres will be opened at the NMC-run hospitals, he added.

Thackeray, who is on a three-day visit to Nashik starting on Friday, also met Nashik Municipal Corporation Commissioner Praveen Gedam, who briefed him on the ongoing preparation for Kumbh-mela, the largest religious congregation of Hindu pilgrims, to be held here next year in July. Thackeray said proper coordination between NMC and various government agencies is important for smooth and speedy implementation of development works for the mela. He also took stock of the undergoing progress for work for kumbh-mela and visited some of the sites on Saturday.