Asks saffron outfit to break ties with BJP in BMC too

Once again the MNS satrap, Raj Thackeray is in his xenophobic worst, ignited controversy by pledging to cleanse Maharashtra of ‘outsiders’ (read job hunters from states other than Maharashtra). Kicking off his party's election campaign, he said if elected to power, he would restrict the entry of `outsiders' into Mumbai.

He also condemned Shiv Sena for being “subservient“ to BJP, saying that if Bal Thackeray had been alive, he would have snapped the association with BJP much earlier. Being soft on cousin Uddhav, he targeted BJP for insulting the Sena chief. The political pundits see this as ‘growing intimacy’ between the estranged cousins on the issue of Marathi asmita (pride) post polls.

Monitoring the deadlock between the two saffron allies, Raj quipped,  “Had I been in Sena, I would have broken off the alliance a month ago. Do you think BJP can be trusted after what they did to Sena? A BJP leader told me they had planned the breakup long ago. Did Uddhav not understand this?“

The MNS chief kicked off his campaign for the assembly election on Sunday from Kandivli (E).

In his typical sardonic style he addressed a massive crowd of cheering followers that if he were still in the Balasaheb’s party, he would have snapped the alliance a month ago. He rebuked the Shiv Sena for remaining in alliance at the Centre.

“Sena remained glued to power. They haven't given up their Union ministership (after talks with BJP failed), “he said, questioning the Shiv Sena's credentials as a regional force. He said the party should have broken off its alliance with the BJP in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation as well.

His speech showed he was ready to play the `asmita' card, a move that would put the Shiv Sena and the BJP on the defensive and create space for the MNS.