India, May 13 -- MNS president Raj Thackeray on Tuesday asked if austerity was meant to be practiced only by common people, and flagged the fuel consumption during the recent election campaigns where thousands of cars were used and roadshows were conducted.

In a post on Facebook after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an appeal to people to reduce fuel consumption and use public transport among other things, Thackeray said the prime minister and senior leaders continue to travel across the country with massive convoys.

"They also hold roadshows, use helicopters, receive flower showers, and conduct extravagant political campaigns," the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief added. "Will the prime minister admit that 'such political excesses we...