Not interested in alliances, says Raj Thackeray

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray said on Wednesday in Nashik that he does not wish to get into an alliance with any party.

His comments came a day after Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray wrote in an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamna that the Sena-BJP combine had no room for “a third party”, referring to the MNS.

Speaking with DNA, senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde had made a strong pitch for the two Senas to come together in the larger interest of the state.

“We are ready to sit in the opposition till we get an absolute majority,” said Raj Thackeray while speaking to the media. He added that his party was content being alone and would like to chart out its own course.

Reacting to Bal Thackeray’s comments, he said, “It is the infighting between the BJP and the Shiv Sena that is coming to the fore. The comment is the Sena’s response to Munde, who is likely to suffer for his suggestions.”
Pointing out to the large number of Marathi youth applying for railway jobs, he said, “1.65 lakh people from Maharashtra have applied, 27,000 of them being from Nashik. The MNS was right in taking up this issue and staging an agitation for the rights of our youth.”

He further blamed the ruling Congress-NCP alliance for the rising crime rate in the state, adding that it was time for change in the leadership.