Raj Thackeray questions Shiv Sena’s love for Marathi manoos

Mumbai, September 27: Launching fresh offensive against Shiv Sena, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray today questioned the former’s love for Marathi manoos and said it is poll-oriented.

“Shiv Sena is interested only in Marathi votes and not the Marathi manoos. Their affection towards Marathi manoos started only after they (Sena) realised that Marathi people voted in huge numbers for MNS during last Lok Sabha polls,” Raj said in suburban Bhadup.

He said Sena has never spoken against Biharis or people from Uttar Pradesh.

“Sena never spoke against Biharis or against people from Uttar Pradesh. In fact, they are the ones who started ‘Chhat pooja’ and ‘UP Day’ in Maharashtra,” Raj said while inaugurating his party’s campaign for the Maharashtra Assembly polls.

Earlier Sena had said that it was not sons-of-the-soil but Hindutva that brought them to power, Raj said and asked why are they now eying for Marathi votes?

Raising the issue of Sena coming to power 20 years after being formed, the MNS chief asked, “Why did the Sena required two decades to come to power in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in the state full of Marathi manoos”.

Sena was formed in 1965 and won the BMC polls in 1985.

He also criticised Sena ally BJP, jumping on the Marathi bandwagon. “Of the 13 BJP MPs, nine are non-Marathis. Why are they now talking about Marathi pride?,” he questioned.

—Agencies