The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections were marred by widespread complaints of voter list discrepancies, missing names, and confusion, impacting voters and election staff alike.
As the political turmoil in Maharashtra continues to unfold, rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shide spoke to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray about the recent political situation in the state, confirmed MNS leader on Monday.
A day after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray received death threats from a 'Bihari' organisation, the Maharashtra government has provided him with 'Y' security cover.
Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde has vowed to take strict action against illegal immigrants who have obtained fake birth certificates, as well as the agents and officials who assisted them. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has already cancelled 237 fake birth certificates and is working to recover the original documents.
The ED has summoned Raj in a case pertaining to alleged irregularities related to Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services loan to Kohinoor CTNL.
Family members of Sarabjit Singh, an Indian national on death row in a Pakistani prison, on Saturday met Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray. Sarabjit's sister Dalbir Kaur, her husband Baldev Singh and Sarabjit's daughter Swapandeep Kaur met Raj at his residence in central Mumbai.Describing their plight to Raj, Dalbir alleged that the government was not making the required efforts to seek Sarabjit's release.
A Jamshedpur court on Thursday issued a warrant of arrest against chief of Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS), Raj Thackeray for his alleged derogatory remarks on chhat festival, popular among North Indians, "hurting" the religious sentiments.
The Maharashtra government, led by CM Devendra Fadnavis, will petition the central government to rename IIT Bombay as IIT Mumbai, following controversy over a Union minister's remarks on the institute's name. The move comes amid political tensions and concerns about the city's identity.
The real surprise in these results came from Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM. Of the 29 Muslim candidates who got elected to the 227-strong BMC, the Congress and the AIMIM between them bagged 22.
A BMC spokesperson said the average voter turnout stood at 29.96 per cent till 1.30 pm in the metropolis, which has more than 1 crore eligible electors.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday warned multiplexes which are not showing Marathi films despite government directives. "Prepare a list of multiplexes that are not showing Marathi films from Wednesday," Raj told his partymen on Tuesday at the third anniversary of the MNS Cine Workers Association. Despite the government resolution which makes showing of Marathi films compulsory, the multiplexes are breaking norms and this cannot be tolerated, he said.
Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the Maharashtra government lost to the power of 'Marathi manoos' after it withdrew two GRs (government resolutions) on the implementation of Hindi, part of the three-language policy, in Classes 1 to 5 in state schools.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray alleges the state government's three-language formula is a precursor to separating Mumbai from Maharashtra, speaking at a rally with Uddhav Thackeray.
He said that ruling party MLAs Manda Mhatre (BJP) and Sanjay Gaikwad (Shiv Sena) have also spoken about the duplication of voters and irregularities in the electoral rolls.
Acting on a Jamshedpur court order, the Mumbai police on Monday arrested Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, who is accused of hurting religious sentiments and instigating violence.The MNS chief was arrested today morning by the Shivaji Park police and produced before the Dadar court, where he was granted bail of Rs 15,000, Raj's lawyer Shayaji Nangare told PTI.He was later released on bail.
'I abide by the Constitution.' 'Raj Thackeray does not.' 'His patriotism should be up for questioning.'
A teenager was detained for questioning on Wednesday at Palghar in Thane district for posting 'vulgar' comments against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and the people of Maharashtra on Facebook, said the police.
Modi should implement the Uniform Civil Code in this country, Thackeray said.
The ruling Mahayuti coalition in Mumbai has reached a consensus on seat distribution for the upcoming civic polls, with the BJP contesting 128 seats and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena 79.
Accusing Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray of hurting the religious sentiments of people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan on Saturday demanded his immediate arrest for causing divisions in the society.
The gag order was issued on February 14 following Raj's statements against north Indian migrants that had led to violence in the metropolis and parts of Maharashtra.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray has stressed the need for overall change in Maharashtra as since the state's formation development was halted.
The court of 1st class judicial magistrate A K Tiwary on Tuesday issued the warrant and directed Thackeray to be present personally in the court on November 17. It also ordered that a copy of the arrest warrant be issued to the Mumbai police commissioner for its execution.
MNS leader Raj Thackeray has sparked speculation about a potential political rapprochement with his estranged cousin and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, suggesting their past differences are "trivial" and uniting for the greater good of "Marathi manoos" is not a difficult task. The comments come amid a political landscape in Maharashtra where the Shiv Sena (UBT) is facing a tough battle to retain its stronghold in Mumbai in upcoming civic polls, with competition from the Shinde-led Sena and BJP.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray, under flak for his strident anti-north Indian campaign, has decided to send letters to every household in the state, urging them to use Marathi in daily life. "Thackeray will pen the letter in Marathi and MNS workers will go to households in the state on February 27 to deliver the letter," a MNS leader said. "In the letter, the MNS chief will urge the people to use Marathi everywhere, including offices, trains and markets."
Two things were most notable when Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray spoke at the Azad Maidan rally on Tuesday: he clearly didn't want to hurt his Muslim support base in the state and wanted to create a new constituency amongst Maharashtra's police cadre, reports Prasanna D Zore.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MNS are likely to form an alliance for the upcoming local body polls in Maharashtra, with the final decision expected closer to the election date. Leaders from both parties acknowledge public pressure and the need to rejuvenate their cadres after poor performances in previous elections.
Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, estranged cousins and leaders of Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS respectively, will share a public stage after two decades to celebrate the Maharashtra government's decision to roll back the three-language policy in primary schools.
Samajwadi Party, whose leaders Amar Singh and Abu Asim Azmi have been the perennial target of Raj's ire, on Monday hit back, demanding that the MNS chief be arrested and charged under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act. "Such rogue elements should not be allowed to roam freely, endangering communal and regional harmony," Azmi said.
This was the third public meeting between the cousins in the last two months, further intensifying speculation of a thaw in ties between the two parties.
Replying to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena supremo Raj Thackeray's remarks against him, Amitabh Bachchan has stated that India is a free country and everyone has the right to live wherever they please. This is the first time Bachchan has reacted in public against Thackeray ever since the latter targetted him for being more loyal to his hometown, Uttar Pradesh, rather than Maharashtra, where he has been residing for more than 40 years.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray will not participate in the all-party meeting called by the state government to resolve the loudspeaker dispute, MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande said on Monday.
Stepping up his campaign for Marathi signboards, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray warned shop owners, not putting up the boards by Thursday, to face the wrath of his men and asked police to think before lathi-charging his party workers. Raj said he has written a letter to the police, asking them to "think twice" before lathi-charging MNS activists involved in the agitation to enforce the civic body's deadline stipulating Marathi signboards on the city shops.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena supremo Raj Thackeray has accepted Amitabh Bachchan's apology, and said that he will take back his agitation against the Bachchan family.
The Congress-Nationalist Conference Party on Wednesday hit out at Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray over the latter's controversial speech at Kolhapur, saying he provides "free entertainment" and should consider taking up mimicry. Reacting to Raj's statement on Tuesday night that people should "cut off the hands" of migrants from other states if they indulge in crime in Maharashtra, NCP spokesman Nawab Malik said Raj was misleading the youth.
Raj said MNS would contest all elections in Maharashtra.
Praising the Centre for CAA, he said: "I do not understand why Muslims are protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act. CAA is not for the Muslims who were born here."
Reacting to Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam's dare to the Thackerays to move around without security, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray blamed Shiv Sena for "making Nirupam big".
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray who is on a 'study tour' to Gujarat showered praises on Chief Minister Narendra Modi for his business development skills.
Maharashtra NCP's chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of following the use-and-throw policy and added that Raj Thackeray "will have to pay for his own karma".