Mumbai – “The Thackeray family has always shared a strong analogy with the tiger. And the tiger is known for its spirited roaring. But I prefer being an eagle that looks over the world with a bird's eye view."
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray was at his acerbic best at an interaction under the aegis of Mumbai Live's ‘Ungli Uthao’ campaign at the Mumbai Live offices over the weekend. Thackeray added that he believed the MNS would rise in stature and on top of the list in the 2019 assembly elections.
Equating party hopping candidates with hawkers, Thackeray quipped that these are vendors who do not sitck to one footpath, but keep hopping from one footpath to another. He said that the MNS, which some have accused of having grown weaker in recent days, is still standing strong. He blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party for luring MNS candidates with the promise of big money.
“You think MNS is losing its position?” Raj Thackeray retorted in reply to a queryt, adding, "No party dies. The Congress is an old party and is having bad days. And you are talking abut MNS which is only 10 years old. Where was the BJP earlier? It had no image. Prime minister Narendra Modi worked on it and gave BJP its own identity. Every party goes through highs and lows,” he reflected.
Thackeray also commented on the spectre of demonetisation, wondering where the BJP continues to get funds while everyone else continues to face a cash crunch.
"Where are the cashless transactions? They have fooled people to get into power. They have done nothing in the last 25 years. They don’t even share their achievements with people. Whereas, whatever we have done in Nashik in the last five years, has been shared with people. BJP spends money on advertisements and fools people. The results will show who gets more votes," he quipped in true Thackeray style.
Devendra Fadnavis is a mere puppet
Raj Thackeray took a dig at chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. “There are posters out there with the chief minister stating ‘Ha Majha Shabd Aahe’ (I give you my word). But he is a puppet. If Modi decides to oust Fadnavis, no one will be able to save him,” Thackeray remarked
Shiv Sena is spineless
Thackeray lashed out at the Shiv Sena as well, saying that the party loves getting blows and abuses and that it does not have the gumption to give up power. Both the Sena and the BJP have done nothing in the last 25 years, was Thackeray's constant refrain.
Amit will decide…
He spoke about his son Amit Thackeray who is now emerging as a cartoonist, much like the Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, whose scathing cartoons were a political commentary by themselves in the 1970s and 1980s. “I will not force him to join politics. If he wishes to, he can join politics," Thackeray concluded.
Share
Tweet
