In a major development that is bound to alter political equations in Maharashtra, MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday announced that he would not only contest the forthcoming State Assembly polls, but would also lead his party-led Government, if voted to power.
Forty five-year-old Raj became the first-ever Thackeray to have decided to take a plunge into electoral politics, when he made a dramatic announcement about his plans to contest the State Assembly polls at a huge public rally that he addressed at Sion in north-central Mumbai.
“…Raj Thackeray will himself contest the forthcoming State Assembly polls.. People do love us.. But, if you and I succeed in winning the trust of people in the state and if the people give a verdict in favour of our party in the polls, Raj Thackeray will lead the MNS-led government in the state,” the MNS chief said, amidst thunderous applause from a crowd of over a two lakh people gathered at the rally. The MNS chief’s announcement, which is bound to pep up his demoralised party cadres, came nine days after his party leaders clamoured for projecting Raj as the chief ministerial candidate in the State Assembly polls - akin to the manner in which the BJP successfully reached out to the people with its slogan “Abki Bar Modi Sarkar” in the recent lok Sabha polls. Heaping wholesome praise on Narendra Modi for leading the BJP-led NDA to power in a spectacular manner, Raj virtually admitted it was the “Modi effect” — which saw the BJP-led “Maha Yuti” put up a superlative performance and on the contrary his own party bite dust in the recent lok Sabha polls in the State -- that had prompted him to take an electoral plunge.
“MNS may have suffered a debacle in the lS polls, but I am confident that my party will surge ahead in the State Assembly polls. After a careful analysis of the lok Sabha poll results, I have arrived at the decision,” the MNS chief said, as he prefaced his grand announcement about his plans to contest polls.