The politics of drought turn violent in Maharashtra as MNS workers went on a rampage, attacking the India Bulls office in mumbai and Amaravati hours after Raj Thackeray warned of consequences if water meant for drought-hit farmers is diverted.
Source : AFP
The transformation of Raj Thackeray into an unabashed rabble-rouser is now complete. In a desperate attempt to woo Marathi voters, the MNS chief has violated all norms - he is a politician who only protests. Events of the recent past illustrate the dangerous path that he has begun to walk.
Source : AFP
Thousands joined Raj Thackeray as he defied police orders to march to Mumbai's Azad Maidan. Raj, who was protesting the violence that took place at the maidan on August 11 said that Mumbai police did nothing to control the violence.
Source : AFP
From Tiger Uncle Bal Thackeray's trusted cub-nephew to MNS chief, Raj's journey has been marked by several controversies. As a teenager, he attracted attention in his state after he led a massive morcha of unemployed people at Nagpur.
Source : AFP
Raj started his political career under the tutelage of his uncle Bal Thackeray - his inspiration and political mentor. Raj formed the Shiv Udyog Sena in 1997 in order to strengthen his youth leader image and became a popular icon by organising a Michael Jackson concert.
Source : AFP
Raj parted ways with his uncle When Bal Thackeray decided to anoint his son Uddhav as the party executive president in 2004. Subsequently, not pleased about being sidelined, Raj took the back seat in Shiv Sena. In the same year, he announced his intention to start his own political party.
Source : AFP
In 2006, Raj resigned from Shiv Sena and established his own party MNS - Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. His party's 'Marathi Manoos' agenda - protecting the interests of the local Marathis by opposing north Indian migrants in Mumbai - catapulted him to the natinal level politics. Despite criticism, he remained unabashed.
In 2007, Raj independently contested elections to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation, the India's richest civic body, and got entry into it. In 2009, he contested Assembly elections and his party's 13 candidates got elected to the lower house.
Source : Mid-day
Raj's recent anti-north India diatribe is just a sneak peek of what he may stoop to as the 2014 Assembly elections near. Uddhav Thackeray's illess is said to have brought Raj closer to his cousin and speculation is rife that the two would unite for the 2014 assembly elections.
Source : AFP
In 2012 BMC elections, Raj sent the Shiv Sena into a scuttle by delivering aggressive speeches and led a scathing attack on the 15-year rule of the Shiv Sena-BJP in the Mumbai civic body. Though MNS failed to emerge as the single largest party, it made considerable inroads in Maharashtra.
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MNS chief Raj Thackeray threatened to brand people from Bihar as "infiltrators" and force them out of the state, if authorities in Bihar take legal action against Mumbai police in the Azad Maidan case. He also threatened to shut down Hindi channels in Mumbai for misquoting him.
