Maharashra polls: BJP scoffs at MNS' move to project Raj Thackeray as chief ministerial nominee

MUMBAI: The BJP today ridiculed the move of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to project its party head Raj Thackeray as the chief ministerial nominee for the state Assembly elections this year, employing the Narendra Modi gambit.

BJP spokesman Madhav Bhandari said if the MNS projection is inspired by the nomination of Modi who was made the prime ministerial candidate by the BJP, then MNS should remember that Modi has more than 35 years of work as party worker and 12 years as Gujarat Chief Minister.

"Modi has not risen overnight as BJP's PM nominee and now PM-designate," he said. Bhandari said just like the voters had rejected the MNS candidates in the Lok Sabha polls where all of them lost their deposits, the same situation will be seen in the Assembly elections.

Sena-BJP "Mahayuti" secured a lead in about 240 Assembly segments in the Lok Sabha polls and the endeavour of the alliance would be to maintain the lead in the Assembly elections as well, he said.

The issue of MNS joining the 'Mahayuti' is a closed chapter and any decision on new allies will be taken jointly by all the allies, he added. Bhandari said the Lok Sabha election results proved that voters in the state have realised that voting for MNS was indirectly helping the Congress-NCP coalition. He said preparations for the Assembly polls will begin after swearing-in of the new government in Delhi.