MNS chief Raj Thackeray addressing party state leaders meeting at NSI Worli on Thursday.
Pic: Bhushan Koyande
Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday attacked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, stating the party once said the leaders involved in a multi-crore scam would be put behind bars, but they were instead inducted into the state cabinet.
Speaking at an MNS gathering here, he also expressed doubt over the outcome of the last year's Maharashtra assembly elections, and asked how Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) won 42 seats just months after it bagged only one seat in the Lok Sabha polls.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that those involved in a Rs 70,000 crore scam would be put behind bars. But where did they put them? In the cabinet," Thackeray said.
He was referring to PM Modi's speech made in 2023 in Madhya Pradesh, where he raised the issue of alleged irrigation scam in Maharashtra. The BJP targeted Ajit Pawar, who was then the leader of opposition, for his alleged involvement in the scam. However, Pawar later joined the Eknath Shinde-led government in the state and was made deputy chief minister in July 2023.
Thackeray said the BJP once accused many leaders of indulging in corruption, but later joined hands with them and made them chief ministers and ministers.
"BJP leader Kirit Somaiya had made allegations against several leaders, but now these very people are in the cabinet," he said.
On the criticism over his frequent meetings with BJP leaders, Thackeray said, "Many say I should not meet BJP leaders...I meet people, but I do not sell myself. My Marathi identity remains intact."
Talking about the outcome of the Maharashtra assembly elections, where the Mahayuti alliance secured a thumping victory while the MNS and opposition parties suffered setbacks, he said he remained silent for some time as he was analysing the results.
"On the day of the results, there was an unusual silence across Maharashtra. The kind of celebrations that should have happened did not take place. Even some people from the RSS I spoke to were surprised. One of them jokingly asked me - 'Why is there so much silence? Someone must have won, right?' So, what did that silence indicate?" he said.
He asked how Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) won 42 seats in the assembly polls, while Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP) won only 10.
"Congress secured the most Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) won 8 seats in the parliamentary polls, but managed to win only 10 assembly seats. On the other hand, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP had won only one Lok Sabha seat, but bagged 42 assembly seats. How is that possible?" he wondered.
Thackeray also cast doubt over certain election results. "MNS had fielded sitting MLA Raju Patil from Kalyan Rural constituency in Thane district. There are around 1,400 voters in Patil's village, he has always received votes from there. But this time, he did not get even a single vote. How is that possible?" he sought to know.
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