In a significant political development, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray held a crucial meeting with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Tuesday. The meeting has sparked intense speculation about the MNS potentially joining the ruling ‘Mahayuti’ coalition in Maharashtra and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Central level.
Raj Thackeray’s arrival in the capital on Monday night, followed by his meetings with BJP leaders including national general secretary Vinod Tawde and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has added fuel to the rumors of an impending alliance between the two parties. Accompanied by his son, MNS leader Amit Thackeray, and BJP leader Vinod Tawde, Raj Thackeray discussed various political issues during the half-hour meeting with Amit Shah.
Sources suggest that the meeting between Raj Thackeray and Amit Shah was facilitated by Maharashtra BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, who had reportedly met Thackeray multiple times in the lead-up to his Delhi visit. It is believed that the MNS is eyeing the Mumbai South and Nashik Lok Sabha seats as part of a potential electoral pact with the BJP.
In Mumbai South, the MNS’s Marathi-speaking vote base could prove beneficial for the BJP in challenging incumbent Arvind Sawant of the Shiv Sena. Meanwhile, in Nashik, the MNS retains a strong support base, making it a crucial ally for the BJP in the upcoming elections.
Following his return to Mumbai, Raj Thackeray convened a meeting with senior MNS party leaders, including Bala Nandgaonkar and Avinash Abhyankar, to discuss the outcomes of his interactions with the BJP leadership. As political developments unfold, all eyes remain on the potential alliance between the MNS and BJP, which could reshape the political landscape in Maharashtra and beyond.
