Maha polls: Raj targets BJP for not raising 'relevant' issues

Criticising BJP leaders for highlighting abrogation of Article 370 during their campaigns for the upcoming Maharashtra polls, MNS chief Raj Thackeray has questioned the saffron party's silence on issues like farmer suicides and bad condition of roads in the state.

Addressing election rallies on Saturday night in Thane district's Bhiwandi and Kalyan towns for the MNS candidates, he said leaders of the ruling BJP have been raising issues that have no relevance to the state polls.

The BJP leaders, specially Union Home Minister Amit Shah, repeatedly highlighted the scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, in their rallies in Maharashtra, he noted.

"When Maharashtra is facing problems like farmer suicides and bad condition of roads, they are highlighting issues that have no relevance to the state polls...they conveniently divert the attention of people," Thackeray said.

He said this was the right time for voters to show such leaders their place and make non-performers sit at home.

Urging people to vote for a strong opposition, he said, "There is no strong opposition in the state to challenge the BJP-led government, hence the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is the right choice for it."