Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray who was accused by the saffron alliance of being ‘an agent’ of the ruling Congress-Nationalist Congress Party, on Friday launched an attack on the ruling combine calling their reign an utter failure.

He targeted Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.

Mimicking Gandhi’s recent speech in which she accused opposition parties of politicizing Shivaji’s name, Raj said that the Congress was doing just that. “Who is planning to build the statue of Shivaji Maharaj in the sea?” he asked.

Criticising Chavan, Raj said, “He is in the chair only due to the blessings of Madam (Sonia Gandhi). In Andhra Pradesh, people committed suicide when YSR died but here people are killing themselves because the chief minister is alive,” he said.

Meanwhile, MNS leader Shishir Shinde--infamous for digging the Wankhede cricket pitch in 1991 to protest against the Pakistan team's tour of India--has threatened to attack the Australian team with footwear and stones to protest against attacks on Indian students in Australia. The Australian team is slated to play in the one-day series beginning October 25.