Raj Thackeray says ‘was first to say Narendra Modi should be PM’; Congress takes ‘lamb’ jibe

After weeks of speculation and meetings with home minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray finally announced on Tuesday that his party will extend “unconditional support” to the alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP in Maharashtra. Speaking at a rally in the state where he made the announcement, Raj Thackeray claimed that he was the first person to say that Narendra Modi should become the prime minister of India.

“Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) unconditionally supports the grand alliance of ‘BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP. This support is only for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA alliance. Now everyone should prepare for the elections,” Raj Thackeray said.

Raj Thackeray, cousin of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, said he had been close to the BJP since the undivided Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the party in the 1990s.

“Shiv Sena had formed an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party around 1990. After that my closeness increased with BJP, I had good relations with Gopinath Munde, Pramod Mahajan. I went to Gujarat and established relations with Narendra Modi (the chief minister of Gujarat at the time). After coming back from there I was asked how Gujarat is. I said development is taking place in Gujarat, but Maharashtra is much ahead. I was the first person in the country who said that Narendra Modi should be the Prime Minister of the country,” Thackeray said.

Raj Thackeray said even when in Opposition, he didn’t make “personal remarks” against PM Modi.

“The first tweet supporting Article 370 was mine. I am going to the rally in support of CAA NRC. I never made personal comments. I did not comment the way Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut are commenting about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India is the youngest country in the world, it is expected from Modi ji to leave everything and focus on the youth of the country. This is the future of the country,” Raj Thackeray said.

Thackeray pointed out that he did not want to do anything that would break the party and gave Uddhav Thackeray a chance but he did not understand.

“I had made it clear that I did not want to do anything that would break the party. I had decided that I would not work under anyone except Balasaheb Thackeray. Still, I gave a chance to Uddhav, but he did not understand,” Thackeray said.

Eknath Shinde thanks Raj Thackeray

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde, meanwhile, thanked Raj Thackeray for extending unconditional support to the ruling alliance.

Asked whether Mahayuti will give Lok Sabha seats to the MNS to contest, Shinde said the Raj Thackeray-led outfit has not put any conditions for supporting the three-party alliance.

Congress attacks Raj Thackeray

Meanwhile, Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said a tiger has turned into a lamb.

“When Raj Thackeray visited Delhi, it was evident that he would go with the BJP. But we did not expect that a tiger would turn into a lamb so soon. Will a fighter like Raj Thackeray become a slave?” Wadettiwar asked, speaking to reporters.

Maharashtra will vote in the Lok Sabha elections in five phases — on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 20. The counting of votes will take place on June 4.