‘Voters supported parties that fight among themselves’
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday said that voters in Maharashtra have started a trend where they prefer parties who fight among themselves to those who work for the public.
Addressing his party workers on MNS’ 11th anniversary at Shanmukhananda Hall in King’s Circle on Thursday, Thackeray was at his caustic best and said that the voters would have to bear the brunt of their decision.
This was his first public appearance after the party’s miserable performance in the recent civic polls.
“Voters have now set up a trend where people who work for their development are voted out while parties that fight among themselves and do nothing for the public get elected. Now I am going to follow the same agenda,” said Thackeray.
He added, “This election has proved that money has more power than developmental politics.”
Speaking about losing its bastion in Nashik, the MNS chief said, “We worked so hard for the welfare of the people in Nashik and yet they voted for the goons propped up by the BJP.”
The party is currently in its worst shape. In the recent civic polls, its numbers dropped from 28 corporators in the last term to just seven this time.
The number of MNS legislators in the Maharashtra Assembly has dipped from 13 in 2009 to only one now. Before the 2017 civic elections, the party was in power in Nashik with 40 seats. The number has now dwindled to three.
Thackeray, however, tried to motivate his party men by saying that he would be shedding his image of being non-accessible to people. “Now you don’t have to come to me, other leaders and I will come to you,” said Thackeray. “This is our last defeat. From now we will only taste victory,” he said, asking the party workers to gear up for the 2019 Assembly polls.