Raj Thackeray's 'Shadow Cabinet' to keep watch on Maha govt

Mumbai: With one MLA elected in the 2019 Assembly elections, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray on Monday announced a 'shadow cabinet' to keep a hawk's eye on the ruling Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress' Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

Thackeray declared the list of 'shadow cabinet ministers' at the MNS' 14th foundation day celebrated here this afternoon.

Prominent among them are senior leader Amit Thackeray who has been entrusted with overseeing the departments handled by his uncle and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray as well as cousin and Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray, both of the Sena.

Other prominent nominees are Bala Nandgaonkar who will watch over Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, of the NCP, while Nitin Sardesai will keep tabs on the work of Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar, NCP.

Speaking on the occasion, Raj Thackeray urged the 'shadow cabinet ministers' to critically analyse the working of each ministry/department.

"Don't just find flaws and criticise. Pull up where things are going wrong, but also appreciate wherever good work is being done. This is in the interest of the people," he said.

He also warned them against holding media conferences or filing Right To Information (RTI) applications with the intention of blackmail as the 'shadow cabinet' must keep a tab on the working of the government.

The MNS could manage to get only one MLA elected - Pramod alias Raju R. Patil from Kalyan (Rural) in Thane.

On this, Raj Thackeray expressed his disappointment over the people for not choosing the MNS while pressing the button on the electronic voting machine.

"What can we do with expectations when the votes go to those from whom we have no expectations," he observed.

He had announced plans for a 'shadow cabinet' - a tradition of the British parliamentary democracy - on June 23 when the MNS underwent an image makeover.

While Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress leaders dismissed it as a political stunt, the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party feels it has potential in the public interest.