Raj Thackeray: We need to eliminate this disease called Modi from our country

While MNS chief Raj Thackeray takes calls for a united opposition, analysts say he didn't say anything new and should have talked about his own party to boost cadre's morale

Raj Thackeray addresses the public at the Gudi Padwa rally at Shivaji Park on Sunday. Pic/Shadab Khan

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray wants a united Opposition for a "Modi Mukt Bharat" in 2019. Speaking at a Gudi Padwa rally at Shivaji Park yesterday, Thackeray said the country needed a "third Independence" next year.

Slam tactics
Taking potshots at BJP president Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Raj said, "If you read the book on Hitler, you will understand that Modi and Shah are using similar tactics. They want to finish or scare people who are against them.

Crowd waves the MNS flag during the rally. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

"By imposing demonetisation and GST, Narendra Modi created a lot of problems for Gujaratis. Not a single Gujarati is talking good about him now. We need to eliminate this disease called Modi from our country, and for that, all Opposition parties should unite. This government wants to start riots before the elections in the name of Ram Mandir." He added, "I had suggested Modi's name as I believed in the Gujarat model. But I was shown a fake picture."

Raj Thackeray also slammed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the song to save rivers he features in. "It seems all is well in the state, so the CM is singing songs. His moves in the video looked like he was exercising though," he said.

Raj also questioned the shifting of the financial centre and Air India office to Gujarat. "The financial centre would have created 70,000 to 80,000 jobs, but that's been snatched away from Mumbai. For the bullet train, the state plans to contribute 25 per cent of the total cost, for which it will take a loan. This means Maharashtra's financial condition will worsen further."

Raj Thackeray's 2016 Gudi Padwa rally

What about MNS?
Political experts, however, said that Raj often takes digs at leaders at political events and rallies, and this time too did the same but didn't say a word on how his own party will be revived. There was no talk on which party cadre should move ahead for the upcoming assembly as well as MP elections. Analysts added that whatever he said was more or less a copy of what other political leaders have already said about the ruling party, and that he should have spoken something about MNS's condition. "MNS's current political situation is shaky. Raj should have at least given some word, some encouragement to party workers, to boost their morale ahead of the next elections," said a political analyst.

Also Read: Raj Thackeray-Sharad Pawar's 40-Minute Meeting Sets Tongues Wagging

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