What happened to BJP's poll promise of making Maha highways toll-free, asks Raj Thackeray

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Wednesday asked ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) what happened to its election promise of making state highways "toll-free".

He also once again claimed that move of some Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLAs joining Eknath Shinde-BJP government earlier this month has blessings of NCP supremo Shar Pawar.

Speaking to reporters here, Thackeray also targeted Union minister Nitin Gkari over condition of ros in Maharashtra.

Some MNS workers allegedly ransacked a toll plaza in Nashik in early hours of Sunday after party leer Amit Thackeray was stopped at it earlier, police h said.

Talking about it, MNS chief said, " incident of toll plaza being vandalised by MNS workers took place after staff at that booth misbehaved with Amit Thackeray. It was a one-off incident and that does not mean that my son is on a spree of ransacking toll plazas. He is touring Maharashtra." "He was stopped despite having a Fastag and reaction came after he was faced with rude behaviour at toll plaza," Thackeray said.

He said inste of just talking about issue, BJP should speak on ir election promise of making state highways toll-free. "Every time one particular person gets contract for toll. Who is he?" he asked.

Referring to accidents on Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway, he said that so far 400 people have lost ir lives in newly-constructed highway.

"re are no safety railings on highway. Will BJP or government take responsibility?" he said.

construction of Mumbai-Goa highway has been going on for last 17 years, Thackeray alleged.

Speaking about Gkari, he said, " union minister for ro transport and highways is a Marathi and hails from Maharashtra, but ros in state are worse. Nothing can be more unfortunate than this." Asked that re is no Leer of Opposition in state legislative assembly, Thackeray cryptically said, "I can see my party as only opposition party in state." Orwise, everyone else has strings attached to each or, he said.

" day a group of NCP MLAs led by Ajit Pawar went to Raj Bhavan (and became part of Eknath Shinde-led state government), I h tweeted that first batch h been dispatched. See everything is happening as per that. See hoardings, re are photos of Shar Pawar and Ajit Pawar toger," he said.

When pointed out that Shar Pawar has been attending opposition parties' meetings at national level, he said he has been seeing politics of senior Pawar for last many years.

Replying to a query wher rebel NCP faction's move of joining government was a "milibhagat" (collusion), he answered in affirmative.