Shikhar Sammelan: “Seeking Votes To Make MNS A Strong Opposition,” Says Raj Thackeray

Thackeray reiterated that a strong Opposition is necessary for nurturing democracy and it is only the opposition legislators "who will speak up for the masses and help deliver justice" to the people.

New Delhi: Maharashtra Navnirma Sena President Raj Thackeray, on Monday, said that he is beginning a new trend in elections by seeking votes for his party to sit in the Opposition benches, after the October 21 Assembly elections. Denying that he has conceded defeat in the upcoming elections, Thackeray said that he will be appealing people to make his party a strong and formidable opposition. Speaking to ABP News at Shikhar Sammelan Thackeray said that it won’t be wise to claim that his party will form the government, when it does not have the sufficient strength. “If at a time, when the condition of opposition parties is so feeble, I am attempting to build a strong opponent of the government which will work to hold the government accountable, I think it is not a defeat. In fact, it is something which needs to be appreciated,” said Thackeray. He reiterated that a strong Opposition is necessary for nurturing democracy and it is only the opposition legislators "who will speak up for the masses and help deliver justice" to the people. MNS is independently contesting 102 seats - mostly in its strongholds like Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nashik and surroundings. During the Lok Sabha 2019 polls campaign, Thackeray had created huge waves with his trademark rallies and the 'Laav Re Video' (Play The Video), though it did not contest. This time, the Maharashtra competition for the 288 seats is tough with several groups and parties in the fray. Besides the MNS, there is the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena's 'Maha-Yuti', opposition Congress-Nationalist Congress Party's 'Maha-Aghadi', Prakash Ambedkar's Bahujan Vanchit Aghadi, the Aam Aadmi Party, the Vidarbha Sangharsh Samiti and other forces vying for the electorate's attention.