Raj needs just 5 mins to zero in on best man

The much-hyped interview of aspiring MNS candidates that was touted as an effort of party chief Raj Thackeray to ensure candidates with adequate administrative skills and clean image will only got party tickets, was apparently reduced to merely a 5-minute quiz session containingu00a0few formal questions.u00a0

He interviewed around 171 aspiring candidates in groups of three to nine for 25 panels yesterday, sparing only 5 minutes to each group. Most candidates who faced the interview revealed that it lasted for less than five minutes and their interviewer Raj Thackeray asked one question from each candidate. At a time, he called in a group of aspiring candidates from one Panel and wrapped up the interview in a jiffy after asking them questions like "why did you join the MNS?" and "What are you pursuing now?"u00a0

According to political observers, the interview process looks like a complete farce. It could well be an attempt to attract attention of the electorate. There is a possibility that the party already has the desired list of candidates in mind and they are only trying to please their supporters by carrying out this exercise.

Suhas Palshikar, political analyst and HoD of political science department, University of Pune, said, no political party, including the MNS headed by Raj Thackeray, takes the interviews seriously. These interviews are just formalities nothing else. "If Raj had seen the credentials of each candidate about the performances in the written examination, he might have developed certain impressions about them. You can't ask the candidates a few formal questions and expect to get a satisfactory answer. This way he can never analyse their depth of knowledge."

Ranjana Khadake, an aspiring candidate from Panel No 23 B, said, "My interview lasted only foru00a0a minute. The chief asked me and two others from my panel what we were currently pursuing and why did we choose to appear for the exam."u00a0

Pushpa Kanojia, a candidate from Panel No 29, agreed that the span of interview was very small and said,u00a0"We were called in a group of eight women aspirants and the interview lasted for about 5 minutes."u00a0Anil Shidore, general secretary, MNS revealed that Thackeray had interviewed 171 candidates from 25 PMC Panels yesterday. He would interview the same number of candidates in the next two days.u00a0

"The final list of candidates will be declared after January 20 following a meeting, overu00a0the final list of candidates, between Thackeray, senior leader Rajan Shirodkar and I," said Shidore.