Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray's state tour has been marred by controversies. On Thursday, while in Vidarbha, a meeting of MNS saw a major conflict among party workers regarding candidate nominations, leading to a physical altercation between factions.
Thackeray will be touring Vidarbha until August 26. On Thursday, he held a meeting with party officials and workers in Chandrapur. After the meeting, as he was leaving for his next destination, a clash broke out between two MNS factions within the hall. Disagreements over the candidacy of party official Sachin Bhoyer led to a major dispute and a physical brawl between Bhoyer’s and Chandra Prakash Borkar’s supporters. MNS leader Raju Umbarkar announced that Prakash Borkar, who had attempted to damage the party’s reputation, has been expelled. Thackeray stated that strict action will be taken against those causing internal disputes.
District Secretary Chandra Prakash Borkar criticized Thackeray for not giving the assembly ticket to Chandrapur resident Chandrakant Bhoyer, calling it a significant mistake and warning of potential rebellion if the error is not corrected. Thackeray assured that party candidates will be prioritized for assembly tickets. Earlier, during his tour of Marathwada, Thackeray faced protests from Maratha activists who targeted the hotel where he was staying in Dharashiv. His visit to Beed also saw protests, with workers blocking his convoy and throwing betel nuts in front of his car, drawing significant attention to his tour.