08 December,2024 05:41 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Union Minister and Republican Party of India (A) chief Ramdas Athawale. File Pic
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has lost relevance and is not needed by the ruling Mahayuti, Union minister Ramdas Athawale said on Sunday, reported news agency PTI.
Athawale asserted that Thackeray has lost significance within the ruling Mahayuti alliance following a disappointing performance in the November 20 Maharashtra Assembly Election, where MNS did not secure any seats.
In an address to reporters in Nashik, Athawale emphasised that with his party's involvement in the alliance, there is no remaining space for Thackeray.
"Raj Thackeray thought power could not come without him. His dreams have been shattered. With me in the alliance, there is no place for Raj Thackeray. He changes his strategies and the colour of his party flag. It reflects his diminishing relevance," said Athawale, whose Republican Party of India (A) has been with the BJP-led NDA for over a decade, stated PTI.
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Athawale expressed confidence that his party would achieve representation in the government led by Devendra Fadnavis.
He also slammed the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition for attributing their electoral defeat to alleged "misuse" of EVMs and said the opposition was "disrespecting democracy by making such excuses".
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray on Thursday hoped the Mahayuti Government makes use of its "unbelievable" mandate effectively for the benefit of the state, its Marathi-speaking populace, and the preservation of Marathi language and culture, reported news agency PTI.
In a message shared on X (formerly twitter), Thackeray extended his good wishes to Devendra Fadnavis, expressing belief that he should have been given the opportunity to serve as Chief Minister in both the 2019 and 2022 elections.
Despite the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) securing the highest number of seats in those years, Fadnavis was unable to return to the chief ministerial role.
"This time, people have given an unbelievable mandate to the Mahayuti, more so to the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis. I hope this is rightly used for the state, the Marathi people, the language and culture," Thackeray wrote in Marathi.
The recent assembly elections saw the BJP winning 132 out of 288 seats, with significant contributions from its allies. The Shiv Sena secured 57 seats and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) garnered 41 seats.
The opposition coalition, led by Shiv Sena (UBT), won 20 seats, while the Congress and the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP received 16 and 10 seats, respectively.
(With inputs from PTI)
