Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray took a strong stance against the ongoing quota controversy. He demanded that local residents in Maharashtra should have access to 100 percent of job opportunities in the state. Thackeray made these comments during a pre-poll tour in Solapur, aiming to influence the upcoming state Assembly elections.
Thackeray revived the MNS’ “sons-of-the-soil” agenda. He argued that caste should not factor into job allocation. According to him, local youth are missing out on educational and employment opportunities due to the influx of people from other states.
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He raised questions about reservations in private educational institutions. Thackeray pointed out that people from across India come to Maharashtra for education and jobs, However locals are left out. “There should be no need for quotas if things are managed properly,” he stated. He added that Maharashtra generates ample employment opportunities, but locals are often unaware of them.
Thackeray criticized the current approach, claiming wasted of resources on outsiders. He claims that development of urban infrastructure is for outsiders. He emphasized that this results in local youth suffering. Raj Thackeray insisted that job reservations for locals should be 100 percent.
Thackeray also condemned the caste-based political maneuvering in the state. He said vested interests are fueling caste conflicts while ignoring core issues.
When asked about the MNS’s strategy for the upcoming Assembly elections, Thackeray revealed that the party would assess all 288 Assembly seats. He indicated that MNS would contest between 225 and 250 constituencies, suggesting a possible solo run in the elections.
Regarding alliances, Thackeray clarified that while MNS supports the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, the party will not ally with BJP for the state Assembly elections.
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