On Raj Thackeray’s announcement

Mumbai, 9 March 2014

The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena(MNS) has not honored BJP’s request to not to field candidates against NDA(BJP-Shiv Sena-RPI and others). MNS today released the first list of seven candidates for the Lok Sabha polls 2014 – while six candidates will battle the Sena leaders, one will contest against the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate. Thackeray has also said that his candidates will support BJP prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi.

Here are some quick questions that arise:

-If Raj wants Narendra Modi as PM, then why division of anti-Congress/NCP votes that could only benefit those who don’t want Narendra Modi to become PM?

-If Raj is supporting Narendra Modi for PM post, why voters should not vote for Narendra Modi’s own candidate(BJP candidate)? Or with today’s tricky announcement, will Raj win pie of pro-Modi wave?

-Raj’s MPs will support Narendra Modi for PM post if there are elected to parliament! How division of votes would allow MNS candidates to win at all? Remember what happened in last elections?

Some relief is that, awareness among people due to exposure of media is so much this time that they are likely to vote smartly. Under strong Modi wave, division of votes could not be as serious issue as it was in 2009.

It has to be understood well that Shiv Sena wouldn’t allow MNS to come to NDA. Then MNS in NDA can trigger some negative impact in Bihar and UP. Raj genuinely believes that Narendra Modi should be PM, but he can’t kill his own party for that cause. As division of votes is going to continue, Raj’s today’s announcement has not much value to bring cheer for BJP or NDA.

How Raj Thackeray helps Congress/NCP(year 2009 Lok Sabha elections)