Raj Thackeray's five-minute pop quizzes

Pune: The much-hyped interview of aspiring MNS candidates that was touted as an effort of party chief Raj Thackeray to ensure candidates with adequate administrative skills and clean image only got party tickets, was apparently reduced to merely a 5-minute quiz session made of a few formal questions.

 He interviewed around 171 aspiring candidates in groups of three to nine for 25 panels yesterday, sparing only 5 minutes to each group yesterday. Most candidates who faced the interview revealed the interview lasted for less than five minutes and their interviewer Raj Thackeray asked one question from each candidate. At a time, he called in a group of aspiring candidates from one Panel and wrapped up the interview in a jiffy after asking them questions like "why did you join the MNS?" and "What are you pursuing now?"

According to political observers, the interview process looks like a complete farce. It could well be an attempt to attract attention of the electorate. There is a possibility that the party already has the desired list of candidates in mind and they are only trying to please their supporters by carrying out this exercise.

Suhas Palshikar, political analyst and HoD of political science department, University of Pune, said, no political parties, including the MNS headed by Raj Thackeray, takes the interviews seriously. These interviews are just formalities nothing else. "If Raj had seen the credentials of each candidate about the performances in the written examination, he might have developed certain impressions about them. You can't ask the candidates a few formal questions and expect get a satisfactory answer. This way can never analyse their depth of knowledge."

Ranjana Khadake, an aspiring candidate from Panel No 23 B, said: "My interview lasted for only a minute. The chief asked me and two others from my panel what we were currently pursuing and why did we choose to appear for the exam."

Pushpa Kanojia, a candidate from Panel No 29, agreed that the span of interview was very small. "We were called in a group of eight women aspirants and the interview lasted for about 5 minutes." Anil Shidore, general secretary, MNS revealed that Thackeray had interviewed 171 candidates from 25 PMC Panels yesterday. He would interview the same number of candidates in the next two days.

"The final list of candidates will be declared after January 20 following a meeting over the final list of candidates between Thackeray, senior leader Rajan Shirodkar and I," said Shidore.