When Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray announced his first public meeting on April 6 in Mumbai, little did anyone know that his order laav re to video (start that video) would go viral across Maharashtra, inspire thousands of memes, social media posts and, most important, ensure a centre-spot in speeches and press conferences of the ruling BJP.

The news channels seeking higher TRP have turned to him, his speeches and even interviews are going live, ensuring that his anti-BJP banter reaches a majority of households in the State, making him the real star campaigner for the Opposition in Maharashtra. All this in less than a month.

The MNS is not contesting the election. As a group within the Congress opposed his inclusion in the grand alliance over his stand against north Indians, he has chosen to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah on his own.

Promises not kept

“I slammed the Congress-NCP bitterly when they were in power. But who is in power now? He (Modi) forgets that, he isn’t the PM of Gujarat, he is the PM of India. His actions pose a threat to democracy. I am only asking what happened to the promises Modi made in 2014. The BJP seem to have no answer,” he says at every rally.

Mr. Thackeray has held 10 rallies across Maharashtra amid growing crowds.

Mr. Thackeray’s falling out with the BJP has seen him take on the Centre in no uncertain manner. In 2011, he visited Gujarat to witness development under then Chief Minister Narendra Modi and could not stop singing paeans till the end of 2014. However, after Mr. Modi became the Prime Minister, Mr. Thackeray said Gujarat was being promoted over all other States. Prior to Koregaon-Bhima riots in 2018, the MNS leader had warned of possible communal conflict and months before the Pulwama attack, he said the country might even go to war before the Lok Sabha election.

Kirtikumar Shinde, author and observer of MNS politics since its inception, said, “Raj Thackeray has broken the myth that leaders are scared of talking against the Modi-Shah duo. He openly attacked them, challenged the BJP and demanded accountability for their promises. The main Opposition Congress had failed to do this. This is the reason he is getting such a huge response across the State. He is saying what people wanted to hear from the Opposition.”

Mr. Thackeray formed the MNS in 2006 as his uncle and Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray preferred son Uddhav as a successor. Within three years, the party grew rapidly over an aggressive “sons of the soil” stand and violent attacks on north Indians. In 2009, the MNS won 13 Assembly seats and scored impressively in civic body polls of urban Maharashtra.

Fighting for relevance

The 2014 Lok Sabha polls saw a swing towards the BJP with the MNS suffering a serious setback. Since then, the MNS chief has been seeking an opportunity to make a comeback in State politics.

The alliance between the Shiv Sena and the BJP for the ongoing polls provided him an opportunity as the principal Opposition Congress-NCP was already weakened. Using the momentum gathered during general election, the party is eyeing the Assembly polls, scheduled to be held within four months.

Upping the ante, Mr. Thackeray has made the BJP uncomfortable and the Shiv Sena nervous — by taking on the former head-on while making it evident that the latter is not worth a mention.