2019 Lok Sabha elections: MNS chief Raj Thackeray says he will campaign against Modi-Shah to defeat BJP

He asked MNS workers to campaign against the BJP and defeat them in the polls. However, he refrained from extending support to any party, saying that the 2019 polls was Modi-Shah versus the country.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday declared that despite his party not contesting the Lok Sabha elections, he would campaign aggressively against PM Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah and his ultimate aim was to defeat the BJP. “These two have made a mess of this country and we need to make a new beginning. These two individuals should be swept aside. For this, the BJP needs to be defeated,” said Thackeray.

He asked MNS workers to campaign against the BJP and defeat them in the polls. However, he refrained from extending support to any party, saying that the 2019 polls was Modi-Shah versus the country.

Addressing party workers at an auditorium in Bandra, Thackeray called the BJP’s newly launched Main Bhi Chowkidar campaign as a farce. “Are elections taking place in India or Nepal? This campaign is just to divert the attention of the masses as this government has been a failure the past five years. All they did in the past five years was to abuse Pandit Nehru and Indira Gandhi,” he added. He said it was imperative to remove this government from power, irrespective of which parties benefit from this move.

Thackeray also taunted CM Devendra Fadnavis who had remarked that the former was taking instructions from NCP chief Sharad Pawar. “He did not respond to my allegations and just said something irrelevant,” said Thackeray. He also displayed video clips of Modi’s speeches where he was seen attacking Pawar during the 2014 campaign, blaming him for the sad plight of farmers, and two years later praising Pawar, saying he cared a lot for the farmers.

He also dismissed reports that he was lobbying for Lok Sabha tickets from the Congress-NCP combine. “I met both Ajit Pawar and Ashok Chavan and asked them whether my party leaders or I had asked for any alliance. They both denied. I had already made it clear before that I was not interested in the Lok Sabha elections. However, whatever I do now will benefit the opposition parties,” he added.