I don't give importance to MNS, says Uddhav Thackeray

Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray has said that he does not give importance to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), started by cousin Raj Thackeray, and neither do the people.

"I don't give much importance to MNS, neither do the people...What matters at the end of the day is the work one does, not what analysts say," Uddhav said, in an interview with the New York Times.

He was responding to a query on analysts' view that MNS is a rising party to watch for in the city and state, given its strong showing in the recent elections.

Uddhav also said he was unaware of a recent book about a slum near the international airport in Mumbai, Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo, which paints a very grim picture of the lives of the poor in the city and their abuse at the hands of corrupt politicians, policemen and others.

Asked if he had read the book and what he thought of it, Uddhav said, "I haven’t heard of this book, and such books are many for each and every city, however, there are better books that paint a little more reality than such books about the service provided by the governmental organisations to each and every person in the city.

"Governments don't go by such irrelevant books, they go by hard work and service," Uddhav said.