Raj Thackeray Claims Understanding with Cong-NCP

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has said that there was an understanding between his party and the Congress-NCP in Legislative Council elections, said media reports.

He said that in exchange of this support, four members of his party suspended from the body in Novembers would be permitted to return to work, reports said.

“It is important for me to send my four suspended MLAs back to the legislature as they were elected (to the state Assembly) by lakhs of voters. It would be injustice to their constituencies if they remain out of the House,” he was quoted as saying.

Four MLAs – Shishir Shinde, Ram Kadam, Ramesh Wanzale and Vasant Gite – were suspended for four years when they physically assaulted Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi for taking oath in Hindi and misbehaved with a woman legislator who tried to intervene.

Reports quoted sources as saying that this was in response to Shiv Sena’s allegations that their candidate lost in the Legislative Council elections because of MNS took money to vote against him.

However, the Congress downplayed the matter, saying it never sought any help from MNS to facilitate the victory of its candidates, said reports.

“There was no question of asking for MNS votes,” state Congress Committee President Manikrao Thakre was quoted as saying.

“We had the requisite numbers to get our three official candidates elected in the first round. Besides, our surplus votes were transferred to independent Vijay Sawant. He also had the support of independents and other smaller parties,” he was quoted as saying.

(Based on internet reports)