Raj engineers defection; kick-starts electionneering from Thane

Thane, Dec 16 (UNI) Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) inducted former Shiv Sena leader Chintamani Kharkhanis and former BJP city chief Vidhya Thanekar into it's fold and became the first party to launch it's election campaign for the forthcoming civic polls here.

On this occasion MNS chief Raj Thackeray emotionally appealed to the residents of Thane to hand over the reigns of the Thane Municipal Corporation to his party, so that ''they can turn this hell into heaven.'' ''I have been associated with Thane since my childhood and hence I want to do something good for the city which is rotting,'' he said.

He lashed out at Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray and alleged that he had no concrete programmes and only indulged in all kinds of cheap gimmicks.

He cited the recent instances of tearing of Bal Thackeray's posters and desecration of a bust of Masaheb Meenatai Thackeray.

However, his attempts to make an issue out of them boomranged on him, he said.

The Sena-BJP combine which ruled Thane and Mumbai have made the cities "Bakal" and a hell to live in, while the lives of the residents have become a nightmare, he lamented.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena yesterday became the first party to launch it's election campaign in the state, immediately after the announcement of the civic elections.

It may be recalled here, that the Shiv Sena was born in Thane and started it's political journey from here in 1966.

UNI XR WD AG1531