Zee Media Bureau
Mumbai: In a dramatic u-turn, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday announced he won`t contest the Assembly elections scheduled for October.
The MNS chief made the announcement in Nagpur. While speaking to media, Raj Thackeray said contesting elections is not in his genes and he considers the entire Maharshtra as his constituency, so it would be unfair of him to contest from any single seat.
"Things were different earlier but now I have decided not to contest the polls myself," said Thackeray.
Interestingly, Raj Thackeray had in May desired to contest the Maharashtra Assembly polls. The MNS chief, who quit Shiv Sena in 2005 was the first amongst the Thackeray family to decide to fight an election.
Late Shiv Sena patriarch late Balasaheb Thackeray never contested any election, nor his son and party president Uddhav has ever desired to do so.
The MNS chief`s announcement comes after Shiv Sena-BJP combine performed spectacularly well by winning 42 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats.
The MNS candidates faced a huge drubbing in the parliamentary elections and some even lost their deposits.
On the issue of Vidarbha, Raj Thackeray asserted he was against dividing the state. "There should be united Maharashtra, the MNS chief said.
Raj Thackeary also supported state Chief Minsiter Pritihviraj Chavan`s decision to not to share dais with Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi at Nagpur metro function.
The MNS chief said that if a CM is hooted by supporters of rival party in presence of the PM then anybody would do the same.
