Won’t allow a single brick to be laid for bullet train project: Raj Thackeray

Agencies

September 30, 2017

Mumbai, Sept 30: A day after the tragic Elphinstone Road foot-over bridge collapse, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray on Saturday slammed the Centre and threatened that it would not allow a single brick to be laid for bullet train project, the big initiative of prime minister Narendra Modi.

"This Piyush Goyal is good for nothing...just for bullet train," Thackeray told a news conference on the occasion of Dassera. "Suresh Prabhu was changed just for bullet train, he was good," he added.

Slamming the Modi government, Raj said: "We would not allow the (Ahmedabad-Mumbai) bullet train to come up here...till the time the present railway infrastructure (of Mumbai Metropolitan Region) improves."

If Modi wants to run the bullet train, he can run it in Gujarat, said Raj, who was one an admirer of the Gujarat model.

The nephew of late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray also gave an ultimatum to the illegal hawkers in the railway premises. "If they do not move out, we would do in our style," he said, adding that till the time "outsiders" keep on time, such incidents would recur.

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Vokkaligara Sangha threatens Congress: ‘Shivakumar must be CM or face backlash’

News Network

November 27,2025

Bengaluru: The Vokkaligara Sangha on Thursday issued a stern warning to the Congress, saying the party could face serious electoral repercussions if Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is not appointed as Chief Minister.

The warning follows the public backing of Shivakumar’s chief ministerial ambition by top Vokkaliga pontiff Nirmalanandanatha Swami, who urged the Congress high command to honor his claim.

“The community supported Congress in the 2023 Assembly elections only because Shivakumar had a real chance to become CM. If he is cheated, we’ll teach the party a big lesson,” said newly elected Sangha president L. Srinivas. He added that Vokkaligas would organize protests under the guidance of community leaders.

General Secretary C.G. Gangadhar pointed out that Congress won more seats in the Vokkaliga-dominated Old Mysuru region due to Shivakumar’s influence, adding, “If Congress wants to retain power, Shivakumar should be made the CM.”

Outgoing president Kenchappa Gowda emphasized Shivakumar’s contribution to Congress’ victory. “Our community voted for Congress thinking he would become CM. Siddaramaiah has also served the party well, but Shivakumar should now be given a chance,” he said.

Former general-secretary Konappa Reddy appealed to Sonia and Rahul Gandhi to recognize Shivakumar’s loyalty and service, saying, “Congress is known to keep its promises. We hope it won’t break the promise made to him.”

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