Lok Sabha Polls: Raj Thackeray extends"unconditional" support to Mahayuti Alliance in Maharashtra

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 9 : Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday extended his party's unconditional support to the Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP.
Speaking at the party's Gudi Padwa rally here today, Thackeray also declared support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that everyone should prepare for the elections.
"Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is unconditionally supporting the grand alliance of 'BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP. This support is only for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA alliance. Now everyone should prepare for the elections," he said.
Further, Thackeray said that he was the first person in the country who had said that Narendra Modi should be the Prime Minister of India.
"Shiv Sena had formed an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party around 1990. After that my closeness increased with BJP, I had good relations with Gopinath Munde, Pramod Mahajan. I went to Gujarat and established relations with Narendra Modi. After coming back from there I was asked how is Gujarat? I said development is taking place in Gujarat, but Maharashtra is much ahead. I was the first person in the country who said that Narendra Modi should be the Prime Minister of the country," he said.
The MNS chief emphasized that good work should always be supported.
"The first tweet supporting Article 370 was mine. I am going to the rally in support of CAA NRC. I never made personal comments. I did not comment the way Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut are commenting about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India is the youngest country in the world, it is expected from Modi ji to leave everything and focus on the youth of the country. This is the future of the country," Raj Thackeray said.
He also pointed out that he did not want to do anything that would break the party and gave Uddhav Thackeray a chance but he did not understand.
"I had made it clear that I did not want to do anything that would break the party. I had decided that I would not work under anyone except Balasaheb Thackeray. Still, I gave a chance to Uddhav, but he did not understand," Thackeray said.
Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra will be held in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 20. The counting of votes will be held on June 4. The state, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh known for its political diversity and significant electoral influence, Maharashtra plays a crucial role in shaping national politics.
In the 2019 elections, the BJP emerged as the largest party with 23 seats, followed by the Shiv Sena with 18 seats.