Raj Thackeray's MNS meet in Pune cancelled due to heavy rains

Pune: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray had planned to start his party's campaign for the upcoming Maharashtra State Assembly polls from Pune but was unable to do it due to heavy rains. However, he plans to take two public meets in Mumbai on Thursday.

Raj Thackeray's meeting was supposed to be organised at Saraswati Vidya Mandir in Pune between 6 pm and 7 pm.

For Raj's public meet in Pune, MNS' party members were struggling to get the destination venue but when they finally got a ground at Saraswati Vidya Mandir on Tilak Road, they had to struggle in pulling out the muddy patches.

Pic courtesy/Mandar Tannu

For the last two days, the sudden rains in the city had hampered the ground. MNS party members were trying to clear the muddy patches manually as well as with the help of rollers and even worked round the clock to make sure the ground was smooth so that people should not slip.

On Wednesday, at 5.30 pm, the stage was set for Thackeray to speak. Unfortunately, heavy winds disturbed the chairs on the dais as well as the ground. After some time, the rain started pouring heavily which is when the party members removed the idols and images of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The party members, volunteers and others who came to hear Thackeray were shielding themselves from the rains by holding a chair on over their head.

Hundreds had turned up for the meet. Many others were on way to the venue but were stuck in traffic due to heavy rains. To avoid any undue incidences, the public meet was cancelled.

Later, it was announced that Thackeray will be addressing the public and commencing the campaign from Mumbai by holding two meets.

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