Will meet CM Shinde to discuss toll hike issue, govt can't afford to anger citizens, says MNS chief Raj Thackeray

Thane: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday said he would meet Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to discuss the issue of toll hike against which his party workers have been protesting.

Thackeray spoke to reporters in Thane after meeting party leader Avinash Jadhav who has been on a hunger strike for the last four days to protest the toll hike that came into effect on October 1.

The MNS chief said he would meet the chief minister in the next couple of days and discuss the toll hike and other issues faced by the people of the state.

The previous Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in its election manifesto had promised to make Maharashtra free of toll, but the promise was not kept, he said.

Thackeray further claimed that Shinde had in the past filed a petition in court regarding toll and later withdrew it and questioned on whose instruction he had taken the plea back.

The MNS leader urged the citizens to retaliate and revolt to make the government realise its mistakes.

“The ruling party should keep in mind that the elections are around the corner and it can’t afford to anger citizens,” Thackeray said.

Road repairs carried out repeatedly are a vicious cycle involving work order, tender, commission and so on, and no one can stop this, he said.

“Whatever the ruling party promises during elections is a bluff. The citizens should realise this while exercising their franchise,” the MNS chief said.