This government will go: MNS chief Raj Thackeray

Raj Thackeray addressed a rally in Mumbai on Tuesday

Sticking to his anti-Modi theme, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday launched verbal attacks on the prime minister and BJP president Amit Shah at a public rally in the Shiv Sena stronghold of Kalachowkie in South Central Mumbai. Thackeray praised former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee saying he had never used the Kargil war to garner votes.

"It is really sad that Modi is using the martyrdom of soldiers for votes," he said adding that the ruling party was likely to exit this year as he pointed at businessmen Mukesh Ambani and Uday Kotak supporting the Congress candidate from South Mumbai, Milind Deora. "I don't remember a single incident where a businessman has openly supported a political candidate," he said.

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The MNS leader who has been at loggerheads with his cousin and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray avoided directly targeting the Sena but also appealed people to vote in a manner that would keep the BJP away from power. Thackeray has been touring Maharashtra and campaigning against Modi-Shah, even displaying videos of Modi and Shah making false promises.

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He also responded to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis' allegation that Thackeray's speech was coming from Baramati (NCP supremo Sharad Pawar's stronghold). "They are saying this because they do not have answers to my questions. I admit to having criticised the NCP in the past but I am now criticising the PM and BJP because they too have failed to deliver," he insisted.

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Why Ambani?

He also spoke to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan rooting for Modi. "Never in history has a Pakistan PM suggested who should become the prime minister of India. Modi invited Nawaz Sharif for his swearing-in ceremony. How would the families of our martyrs have felt? Modi has lied for five years. Newspaper owners are being threatened not to write against the government," he alleged.

Thackeray also questioned the preference given to Anil Ambani's company for the Rafale contract. "He is already in huge debt and does not have the experience of manufacturing a single aircraft." Thackeray also critiqued the government for not intervening in the Jet Airways issue that led to 50,000 employees losing their jobs.

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