MNS president Raj Thackeray is on a two-day visit to Pune. Local MNS office-bearers have demanded that the MNS contest the Kasba and Pimpri Chinchwad byelections. Meanwhile, Raj Thackeray himself has expressed his desire that the Chinchwad and Kasba assembly by-elections be held unopposed. He has appealed to Maha Vikas Aghadi in this regard.
Raj Thackeray said the BJP has shown generosity in the Andheri East bypoll. Now the Maha Vikas Aghadi should show generosity over the Kasba and Pimpri Chinchwad by-elections. Two MLAs of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly passed away tragically recently. Byelections are being held in the assembly constituencies left vacant by the death. From the beginning, I have thought that when an existing representative passes away, the by-election should preferably be unopposed.
During the Andheri East assembly by-election, the wife of late MLA Ramesh Latke was standing on a Shiv Sena ticket when Devendra Fadnavis was urged to make the election unopposed. Raj Thackeray said he allowed the election to be held unopposed by responding positively to that.
However, nothing of the sort has happened. So far, the MNS has decided not to contest the byelection that will be held after the death of a public representative. However, because the Tilaks were not contesting for the Kasba seat, it was interesting to see what Raj Thackeray would do with the seat. He has, however, asked Maha Vikas Aghadi to make this election unopposed.