Raj Thackeray is enacting Pawar-written script: BJP

The BJP alleged Tuesday that Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, who has been campaigning against the saffron party, was receiving his "script" from NCP chief Sharad Pawar.

Thackeray, whose party is not contesting the Lok Sabha elections but who is holding rallies and urging people to "remove" Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah from politics, reportedly met Pawar at a hotel Monday.

"Pawar met Thackeray with a new script for his future political rallies at Balaji hotel in Solapur Monday night. Thackeray is currently holding his 'touring talkies' shows across Maharashtra and entertaining people, for which he needs a script, which was provided by Pawar," said Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Vinod Tawde.

At a rally in Solapur, Thackeray had claimed that Harisal village in Maharashtra's Amravati district, touted as the first "digital village" in the country, does not have Internet service at present, and no shop there accepts digital payment. The MNS chief screened a short video to back his accusation.

Tawde claimed that the situation was different now. "There is adquate internet connectivity in the village. Those who have doubts, can visit and see for themselves. The video is very old," he said.

He also asked if Thackeray was a "star campaigner" of other parties, as some Congress leaders shared the stage with him during the rally in Solapur.

"If he is a star campaigner for Congress and NCP, then the expenditure of his rallies should be added to the accounts of their candidates," the BJP leader said.

Commenting on Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's recent rally in Nanded in central Maharashtra, Tawde said, "He spoke selectively on Rafale fighter jet deal but uttered no word on the Supreme Court's notice to him."