Accusing the BJP of continuing to nurse the designs of separating Mumbai from Maharashtra, MNS chief Raj Thackeray said on Wednesday night that if he had approached the Shiv Sena, it was because he wanted to foil the principal ruling party’s designs and protect the interests of Marathi people based in the metropolis.
Addressing his party workers’ rally at Dadar in north-central Mumbai two days after the Sena leadership the MNS’ proposal to have seat-sharing tie-up with it for the BMC polls, Raj said, “I will lick the boots of anyone for sake of Mumbai and Marathi people, but I will chop legs of anyone who tries separate Mumbai from Maharashtra”.
Breaking his silence over the Sena’s refusal to have an alliance for the BMC polls, the MNS chief revealed that he had called Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s residence on seven occasions in an effort to forge an electoral tie-up with the Sena.
“Of the seven calls I made to Matoshri, not even call of mine was received. What I made was a sincere attempt. I wanted to protect the interests of Mumbai and Marathi manoos. ...The issue is over as far I am concerned,” Raj said, as he announced the MNS’ decision to go it alone in the BMC polls.