E-Paper
Lok Sabha Elections 2019: BJP, MNS get into a war of videos
Thackeray’s contradicting statements about BJP in 2014 and now, is the trigger
The 2019 Lok Sabha elections is seeing parties taking to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Snapchat to make the scale bigger, tools sharper and the messages shorter. Recently the members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are using these mediums to circulate old videos of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray in which he is seen criticising the Congress government.
Even as Thackeray’s MNS is not contesting the 2019 elections, he has been addressing rallies in various parts of the state and has been criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a rally Thackeray continued his diatribe against Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, and appealed to people to ensure that they did not remain in power after the Lok Sabha election.
Thackeray has been rooting for Congress. He said that the Congress president Rahul Gandhi deserves a chance as a prime minister.
Thackeray’s contradiction in statements from rooting for the BJP in 2014, to criticising them in 2019 has lead to a war of videos between the BJP and the MNS.
Thackeray in his rally in Satara on April 16, showcased videos of old speeches of Narendra Modi on digital screens and said that the BJP hasn’t fulfilled any of their promises. Thackeray also said that he is now receiving messages from the public to showcase more such videos of Narendra Modi. He said, “I will expose Modi through all these videos.”
Taking a note of the response that Thackeray’s rallies have been attracting, the BJP workers have dug out videos of Thackeray from 2014, and have been making them viral on social media.
While Thackeray was conducting a rally in Solapur earlier this week, the members of the BJP circulated an old video of Thackeray on social media, where he is seen criticising the Congress and praising the BJP and Modi. In yet another video which is being circulated on social media, Thackeray is seen criticising the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar for the irrigation scam.
Besides addressing rallies in Mumbai, Thackeray has so far addressed six rallies including one each at Nanded, Kolhapur, Hatkanangle, Solapur, Satara and Pune.
NARENDRA MODI IS POLITICISING CASTE ISSUE TO GAIN MILEAGE WITH VOTERS: RAJ THACKERAY
Raj Thackeray, chief, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of politicising casteism. He said, “Narendra Modi is now raising the issue of being from a backward class, then, why did he keep mum when the Dalits were being attacked in the country.”
Thackeray was addressing a public rally in Pune on Thursday. Even as Thackeray’s MNS is not contesting the 2019 elections, he has been addressing rallies in various parts of the state. Thackeray claimed that the MNS is campaigning against Prime Minster Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah.
The comment came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Solapur rally on Wednesday, hit out at Congress and its allies for calling all those with the surname ‘Modi’ thieves while accusing him of corruption. Modi also said that the Congress is “abusing my backward caste.”
Thackeray said, “No one is attacking Modi on caste basis. It is he who is trying to get voters benefit by politicising casteism and invoking the sacrifice of soldiers in the Pulwama attack.”
Thackeray in his other public rallies has been showcasing old videos of Narendra Modi’s speeches from 2014 and appealing the voters to not vote for BJP. Thackeray also said that Modi did not raise his voice when the Dalits were being attacked in Gujarat.
Thackeray also raised the issues of statues and memorials and asked as to why is the government spending money on memorials and not on people especially the lower income group who are fighting for basic necessities and infrastructure. Thackeray blamed Modi for failing on the economic and social front.
