Raj Thackeray won't get political benefit from loudspeaker row: Ramdas Athawale

Union minister Ramdas Athawale slammed MNS chief Raj Thackeray over his call for removal of loudspeakers from mosques and said the MNS leader will not get any political benefit from his hard stand on the issueAddressing a press conference the Republican Party of India A chief also said the Shiv Senaled Maharashtra government failed to present its case in the Supreme Court over the OBC quota issue Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS president Thackeray had earlier given an ultimatum to the state government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3He had urged people to play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers on Wednesday wherever they hear loudspeakers blaring azaan Islamic prayer call Athawale whose party is an ally of the BJPled NDA said there is no need to take any unjust stand over loudspeakers With this stand Raj Thackeray will not gain any political benefit He has been putting forth different stands but has never received any political benefits he saidHe advised Thackeray not to create a rift in society by taking such a hard stand Athawale further claimed that Raj Thackeray after leaving the Shiv Sena included colours like blue white green and saffron in his party flag but he has now suddenly adopted the saffron colour and is trying to create a dispute in society Saffron is not a colour which creates dispute it resolves disputesThe saffron colour symbolises peace the Union social justice and empowerment minister said Asked if Raj Thackeray was copying late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray Athawale said the MNS chief cannot imitate Balasaheb because the latter was a different kind of leader On Raj Thackerays claim of NCP chief Sharad Pawar being a casteist the RPIA leader said Pawar personally was not a casteist But some NCP members were casteist he said Athawale also hit out at the Maharashtra government over the issue of quota for the Other Backward Classes and said the Shiv Senaled dispensation had failed to present its case in the Supreme Court be it the issue of reservation for Marathas or the OBCsNow it is the responsibility of this government to give reservation to both he said Athawale said if the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising the Shiv Sena NCP and Congress in Maharashtra falls the BJPled alliance is ready to form government Even if the MVA government does not fall the mahayuti grand alliance led by the BJP is confident of coming to power in the state in 2024 he added Athawale also said the Congress should withdraw support from the MVA claiming there was disappointment in the party over its MLAs being sidelined The RPIA leader also expressed confidence that in the next Lok Sabha elections the BJPled NDA will win over 400 seats out of the total 543This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever