MNS chief Raj Thackeray urges voters to give him the mandate

AMRAVATI: Launching Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's (MNS) assembly election campaign from Daryapur town in the district today, MNS chief Raj Thackeray urged the people to give him a chance to rule the state for "effective development".

Thackeray, who addressed a series of meetings in the district today, lashed out at Shiv Sena, BJP, Congress and NCP accusing them of "misleading the people" and "hampering development".

"They all have partnerships with money and the industry. They pretend to be opponents overtly but are friends covertly. They take you for granted. I am not saying this as an election statement but it is a fact," he said.

Thackeray charged the Congress-NCP alliance with converting Maharashtra into a desert.

"They go to Israel to watch farming in the desert there but never bother to brood over the fact that they have turned Maharashtra into a desert," he said.

Attacking the Congress-NCP government for growing unemployment in the state, he said the leadership lacked the will to change the scenario.

"Private security agencies operating in the state employ youth from other states while our own youth die on the roads while running for a police job," he said.

Thackeray regretted that even after 66 years of Independence, Maharashtra faces electricity shortage while women's security is a matter concern.

"I have come to you with a concrete development plan which assures employment to every youth born in Maharashtra, development of agriculture as well as tourism, besides industrial growth. I will make a miracle happen in Maharashtra if I am given the mandate," he assured.

Thackeray also ruled out his support to the demand for separate statehood for Vidarbha.

"Entire Maharashtra is my constituency," he said.