Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the prevailing political climate in Maharashtra, describing it as "dirty and dangerous." Referring to the recent defections from the Shiv Sena (UBT), Raj Thackeray said the issue was no longer about those trying to poach leaders but about those willing to switch sides.
"The politics currently unfolding in Maharashtra is dirty and frightening. The real question is not about those trying to buy legislators, but about those willing to be sold. If there are people ready to sell themselves, there will always be buyers," Raj Thackeray said while addressing a press conference in Thane.
Targeting the BJP while commenting on the political situation in the state and the country, Raj Thackeray warned that the ruling party would eventually have to face the consequences of its present political strategy.
"There is widespread anger among people over the kind of politics being practised in Maharashtra. When the BJP is no longer in power, it too will have to face the repercussions of these actions. Every political party must ask itself how far it is willing to go and whether there are any limits. History shows that whenever those in power have tried to eliminate the opposition, their biggest enemies have eventually emerged from within their own ranks. The same process has begun within the BJP. Leave aside eliminating the opposition outside; your own internal opponents will create trouble for you. That is what history teaches us. The same happened during the Emergency," he said.
Using a metaphor to describe the BJP's political structure, Raj Thackeray said the party resembled an inverted house
of cards.
"A house of cards stands on a foundation. The BJP today is like an inverted house of cards, with Narendra Modi at the bottom. If that one card slips, the entire structure will collapse. Call Modi's supporters whatever you want, but the BJP today survives because of Modi, not because of anyone else. The politics you are playing today will eventually come back to haunt you," he remarked.
Raj Thackeray Questions Electoral Process in West Bengal
Raj Thackeray also referred to the recent electoral developments in West Bengal and Bihar, alleging that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise had significantly influenced the outcome.
"The SIR exercise had a major impact on the elections in West Bengal and Bihar. Around 2.7 million names were deleted from the electoral rolls in West Bengal. The defeat of a Chief Minister like Mamata Banerjee is not an ordinary event; it required the backing of a massive government machinery. The politics being practised in the country today is dirty and dangerous, and the BJP too will eventually face its consequences. No one comes to power with a permanent mandate. Political parties must think about the precedents they are setting for future generations. The politics of engineering defections in Maharashtra is neither healthy nor dignified," Raj Thackeray said.
