• Source:JND
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Maharashtra News:  In a surprising move, the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Tuesday announced to tender unconditional support to the BJP-led NDA alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024 on 48 LS seats of the state. Notably, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the state, Mahayuti, comprises of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena (Shinde Group) and Ajit Panwar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

While announcing the decision of the party, chief of MNS, Raj Thackeray said that this support is only for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA alliance in the state.

"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," MNS chief Raj Thackeray said.

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Speaking at his party's Gudi Padwa rally here, Raj Thackeray also said that the upcoming Lok Sabha elections would decide the "future of the country." He asked his party workers to start preparations for the assembly polls in the state, which are slated to take place later this year.

As of now, the MNS has not fielded any candidate for the Lok Sabha elections.

'Only For PM Modi...': MNS's Thackeray Announces

The MNS leader, at the Gudi Padwa rally in Shivaji Park, explained why he chose to support his PM Modi.

"After 2014, I felt that what I heard in the (assurances given in) speeches (by Modi) were not materialising."

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"I opposed him vehemently, but whenever he did anything good, say (like nullifying the provisions of) Article 370, I was the one who welcomed it. I organised a 'morcha' (rally) in favour of the NRC (National Register of Citizens)," Raj Thackeray said, justifying change in his stand.

The MNS leader asserted he never made personal attacks at Modi even as he took a dig at his cousin and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut.

"I do not criticise because I was not offered the CM's post, but I did not agree with their stand. They (Uddhav and Raut) are speaking against him (Modi) now. When I was saying this (during 2019 polls), then why didn't you resign because (now) you were dislodged from power and your party was broken," Raj Thackeray said.

(With agency inputs)