Solapur (Maharashtra), Aug 5 (IANS): Eyeing the upcoming state Assembly elections, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray slammed the ongoing caste controversy while demanding jobs for all the locals in the state, here on Monday.

Reviving the MNS’ old ‘sons-of-the-soil’ plank, he urged that the local youth must get jobs, without the question of caste entering, “as our youth are being deprived of educational and employment opportunities” at the cost of ‘outsiders’

“Is there any reservation in private educational institutions? People from all over India come here, get education and jobs... But, what about the same opportunities being denied to the locals,” demanded Raj Thackeray, while on a pre-poll tour of the region.

The MNS chief argued that there was no need for quotas in Maharashtra if things were properly managed, as the state generates a lot of employment opportunities that can fulfil the needs of the locals, but the latter are ill-informed of it.

“People from other states are coming and getting education and work here… Maximum resources are spent on outsiders and all urban infrastructure is being created for them. Owing to this, our local boys and girls are suffering. So, people from Maharashtra must be given 100 per cent job reservations,” Raj Thackeray declared.

He frowned at the ongoing caste fracas in the state saying vested interests are busy inciting people, playing politics in the name of castes and firing from someone else’s shoulders while the core issues are being ignored.

To a query, the MNS leader said that the party will review all 288 Assembly seats and contest between 225-250 constituencies, indicating the party might go solo in the October elections.

On the question of alliance with the ruling MahaYuti ally Bharatiya Janata Party, Raj Thackeray made it clear that his support (to BJP) was restricted only to the Lok Sabha (2024) elections and not the upcoming Assembly polls.