Thackeray, who had supported Narendra Modi during the Lok Sabha elections, did a volte-face during the assembly elections, attracting criticism from the media. On Saturday, while he took a dig at the media, Thackeray appeared to be mellow, unlike his usual self.
The MNS chief arrived in the city on Thursday evening and has been conducting meetings with his party members. At the press conference on Saturday morning, Thackeray said that he was against the shifting of the Western Railway headquarters from Church Gate to Ahmedabad. He was addressing newsmen on Saturday at the party's headquarters in Rajgad.
BJP MP Kirit Solanki raised the demand in the lower house of the parliament on Friday. These demands have been made by the Gujarat government earlier as well. "I have always been opposing this. Demands like this will continue. You should be questioning them (BJP)," Thackeray told newsmen.
Going local, Thackeray praised the newly appointed Nashik municipal commissioner Praveen Gedam, saying that he had a good record wherever he was posted. Thackeray also said that he would try to bring "the maximum funds" for the Kumbh Mela and would talk to the chief minister and all MLAs, since this was to be "a national event" and needed joint efforts.
Outlets of generic medicine and a cycling track were other projects in the city that he touched upon. "I am also trying to introduce a project where all the debris of the city can be collected. All illegal works and encroachments will thus stop," he said.
However, Thackeray avoided answering questions on Marathi writer Bhalchandra Nemade's statement that all English medium schools should be shut down. Instead, he chose to defend Nemade's initial remarks, and said, "There should be excellent Marathi medium schools where excellent English should be taught. That does not mean that all English medium schools need to be closed down. If good English is taught in Marathi schools, parents would admit their children in Marathi schools. I don't understand what the concept of an international school is." He added that the proposal of MNS corporators to waive house tax on Marathi schools "would be considered".
Thackeray said that he had spoken to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis about toll nakas in Nashik and had asked him to stop cash payments at toll plazas, if there has to be transparency. "At present, there is no record of how many vehicles pass and how much money is collected," said Thackeray.
On changes in the MNS's organisational set-up, Thackeray he said that he was talking to the office bearers and that every post would have a duties assigned. "They will have to perform only what is mentioned," he said.
Gite, Thakre, Bagde ramain absent: Senior MNS leaders, who had resigned from their posts on November 3, were conspicuous by their absence for the second consecutive day of the MNS chief's visit. Former MLA and regional general secretary Vasant Gite, district president Sachin Thakre and spokesperson Abhijeet Bagde had resigned from their posts. Gite had said that he was resigning from the post due to his health and personal reasons. But senior MNS leaders said that Gite had resigned as a moral responsibility for the party's defeat in the assembly elections.
Asked about their absence and any discussions about them with his party members, Raj Thackeray said, "I don't want to talk about it. I have not discussed anything with my party members."
Raj assures toilets for women in few months: Raj Thackeray said that he would get toilets for women constructed in Nashik very soon. "Every public space in the city will have toilets for women. You will see it in the next few months," he said.
Shiv Sena mocks Thackeray's remark: MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday said that he wanted to make Nashik a beautiful city. "I want this city to be known in the country as the city of gardens. Parents keep complaining that their children are glued to the computer. Nashik still has the scope of having gardens," said Thackeray.
On plans to convert gardens into playgrounds, he said, "I am trying to bring in private players. It is difficult to maintain gardens. Private companies will maintain gardens and these will not be the NMC's responsibility anymore. All the projects will be completed in a year-and-a-half."
Thackeray's statement attracted caustic remarks from Shiv Sainiks, who pointed out that Nashik was already a city of gardens and jogging tracks. "All these were developed during our 10-year tenure in the NMC," said a senior Shiv Sena member.
Shiv Sena city chief Ajay Boraste said, "Nashik is already a garden city. Raj Thackeray should first gather all information and then make statements, rather than making them for the sake of it."
Thackeray's visit: The MNS chief has visited the Phalke Smarak, the botanical garden and Pelican Park for the third time in all these years and Goda Park 5-6 times, but nothing has changed after his visits.
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