Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Monday said the state needed a “strong” opposition party which can take the government to task and ask tough questions.

Addressing a rally in Pune, Thackeray said,” Looking at the condition of Maharashtra, the state needs a strong opposition which will not bend and crawl before the government.We do not want to be an opposition party just for the sake of opposing things. We will appreciate the work of the government when they do it. But if there is any injustice meted out to people, we will criticise it.”

Thackeray addressed his first political campaign in the city on Monday after his previous rally was cancelled due to heavy rains.

The MNS chief also targeted Shiv Sena saying there is nothing left in the party. “I don’t understand why are they with BJP despite they are been insulted daily. BJP has not given them a single seat in Pune and Nashik. If Balasaheb Thackeray was alive, this wouldn’t have happened,” he said.

Thackeray claimed the automobile sector in the country had taken a hit and said 10 lakh people would be laid off in the days to come.

He said he had asked political parties to boycott the polls over the issue of EVMs but no one was ready to do so.

Earlier too, Thackeray continued to attack BJP for highlighting the move on Article 370 during their campaigns for the upcoming Maharashtra polls. Thackeray has questioned the party’s silence on issues like farmer suicides and bad condition of roads in the state, as he addressed election rallies on Saturday night in Thane district’s Bhiwandi and Kalyan towns.

Polling for all 288 Assembly seats in the state will be held on October 21 and counting of votes will take place on October 24.