No impact on MVA: Vijay Wadettiwar on Raj Thackeray supporting ruling alliance

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Tuesday said MNS chief Raj Thackerays support to the ruling BJPled alliance in Maharashtra will not affect the opposition coalition MVAs election prospects reported news agency PTIA tiger has turned into a lamb he quippedWhen Raj Thackeray visited Delhi it was evident that he will go with the BJP But we did not expect that a tiger will turn into a lamb so soon Will a fighter like Raj Thackeray become a slave Wadettiwar asked reported PTIIn 2019 Raj Thackeray had taken a firm stand against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and now he has extended support to the PM the Congress leader noted adding Something is fishy hereMeanwhile Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray on Tuesday announced unconditional support to the Mahayuti alliance of the BJP Shiv Sena and NCP in the state and backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi a move that is expected to bolster the ruling blocs prospects in the upcoming Lok Sabha pollsAddressing his partys annual rally here on Gudi Padwa traditional Maharashtra New Year that symbolises fresh beginnings auspiciousness Raj Thackeray said he expects PM Modi to focus on the concerns of the youth and maintained the state should get a larger share of central revenue keeping in mind taxes it paysI dont have any expectations When there is a need for a strong leadership in the country the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena will back the BJP Shiv Sena NCP unconditionally It is only for Narendra Modi Raj Thackeray asserted reported PTIThe MNS leader did not elaborate whether his party which has not fielded any candidate so far will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha pollsRaj Thackerays support to Modi comes after his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah last month Since then there were speculations that he will join the ruling Mahayuti grand alliance He however made it clear that his party candidates as and when they contest elections will do so only on MNS symbol railway engineThackeray who broke away from the undivided Shiv Sena and founded the MNS in 2006 asked his party workers to start preparing for the state assembly elections which are due in October this yearFor the 55yearold firebrand leader known for his oratory skills politics has come to a full circle He openly backed Modis candidature for the Prime Ministers post in 2014 He then changed tracks and went on to become his bitter critic going to the extent of playing videos of promises made by Modi at his wellattended rallies and pointing out how they remained unfulfilledHowever opposing his estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray then head of the undivided Shiv Sena has been the hallmark of Raj Thackerays politics Even when he backed the BJP in 2014 he fielded candidates against the undivided Shiv SenaThe MNS leader at the Gudi Padwa rally in Shivaji Park explained why he changed his stand on ModiAfter 2014 I felt that what I heard in the assurances given in speeches by Modi were not materialisingI opposed him vehemently but whenever he did anything good say like nullifying the provisions of Article 370 I was the one who welcomed it I organised a morcha rally in favour of the NRC National Register of Citizens Raj Thackeray said justifying change in his stand reported PTIWith inputs from PTI