MUMBAI/AHMEDNAGAR: In an element of surprise, Raj Thackeray, president of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), declared yesterday that the MNS would contest all six Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai.
“We are not contesting the polls to win, or to defeat anyone. As we are not forging an alliance with any political party, the question of pressure being exerted on us from any quarters does not arise,” said Thackeray, speaking at a conclave of MNS party officebearers from Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane.
“Our candidates would be of our own party only. We would not give any importance or place to film stars or rented candidates,” he added.
Thackeray said, “We would not discard the Marathi issue which is very important to us. That's our true identity. We would know our real strength from the outcome of the results and our candidates’ performance at the polls.”
He told the gathering that since people were angry at the Congress-NCP and BJP-Sena alliances, that message would reach them. He added that MNS workers should grab the opportunity and reach out to voters.
Meanwhile, in another development, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo and Federal Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar made a guarded statement on the demand of his party workers for him to become the prime minister. Speaking in Ahmednagar yesterday, he said he knew the ground reality.
“In Parliament, the prime minister has to take responsibility of the nation. And for that you need the required numbers of MPs with you. And that is not an easy task. But I know one thing. The days of one party rule in the country are over and the help of other parties it is required to form a government,” he added.
Pawar is of the opinion that like the opposition-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), all partners in the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) should fight the Lok Sabha polls under the UPA banner and propose the name of Manmohan Singh as prime minister once more.
