‘Don’t elect outsider,’ Raj tells Kothrud voters in campaign against BJP state chief
Thackeray campaigns hard against BJP state chief Patil. He turned his rally speech in Kothrud on Friday into an attack on the BJP, suggesting that “power has blinded” the party
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray turned his rally speech in Kothrud on Friday into an attack on the BJP, suggesting that “power has blinded” the party.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray at the rally in Kothrud campaigning for Kishore Shinde (right). (Sanket Wankhade/HT PHOTO)
The Kothrud constituency is a straight fight between MNS candidate Kishore Shinde- supported by the combined opposition- and BJP state unit president Chandrakant Patil.
Raj said, “Power has made the BJP blind and they are taking voters for granted. Instead of giving a chance to local workers, BJP forced Patil on Kothrud.”
He said that Patil “got rehabilitated to Kothrud” because floods had arrived in Kolhapur and Sangli. “Now voters need to take decision on it,” he said in his speech.
The MNS rally took place near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue and MNS leaders Babu Wagaskar and Anil Shidore were present for rally, apart from Shinde himself.
Expressing concern over the rise in casteism in Pune and the state, he said, “After announcing the candidate in Kothrud, discussions happened on the candidates’ caste, which shows where Maharashtra is heading. It is time to stop discussions on caste,” he urged.
Raj also raised concerns over the economy, saying that it was going to affect Maharashtra even more. “Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also raised concerns over the Indian economy. It’s all happening because of decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.
After Kothrud, Raj proceeded to Hadapsar to campaign for MNS candidate Vasant More there.
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