Mumbai: Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar on Monday adviced Raj Thackeray not to punch above his weight, a day after the MNS chief called for a "Narendra Modi-mukt Bharat" while addressing a party rally in Mumbai.
"The Maharashtra Assembly is already free of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) as it has only one MLA of that party, who has almost become a part of the BJP," Shelar told reporters outside the Legislative Assembly.
Addressing the annual Gudhi Padwa (Maharashtrian new year) rally of the MNS in central Mumbai, Thackeray had appealed to all parties to unite to ensure that the country becomes "free" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Taking a dig at Thackeray, whose party is battling for political survival in the state, Shelar said the corporators who had won the Mumbai civic polls last year on the MNS ticket had already left the party.
"I think he has taken too much liberty to make 'Modi-Mukta Bharat' appeal. He should speak what suits his stature," said Shelar.
A few months back, six out of the seven corporators of the MNS had defected and joined its arch rival Shiv Sena in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
In an apparent reference to Thackeray visiting NCP chief Sharad Pawar at the latter's residence in Mumbai in south Mumbai a day ahead of the rally, Shelar said the MNS chief seems to be under the influence of the Maratha veteran now.
"Earlier, Raj Thackeray's speeches used to have some influence of Shiv Sena supremo late Balasaheb Thackeray, but of late it looks like they have the influence of Pawar. The way people are leaving Raj Thackeray, I don't think anybody in Maharashtra believes him," said the BJP leader.
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