Mumbai, May 28: Is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) trying hard to woo the Raj Thackeray-led Maharash-tra Navnirman Sena (MNS)?
Sources say BJP State President Sudhir Munganti-war has been trying hard to meet MNS President Raj Thackeray to forge a new alliance before the legislative council election scheduled for June 10.
This lends credence to prevailing rumour that the Shiv Sena and BJP are on the cusp of a divorce.
However, Mungantiwar has not been able to meet Thackeray yet as the latter is on vacation abroad.
“Subsequently, Mungantiwar tried to meet MNS leader in the State Assembly, Bala Nandgaonkar, but he too is away on holiday,” the sources said. Now, the meeting with Nandgaonkar, said BJP sources, has been tentatively slotted for Sunday, a day prior to the last date to file applications for the legislative council poll.
“Mungantiwar did call me up to enquire about Thackeray’s schedule,” MNS spokesperson and Member of
Legislative Assembly Nitin Sardesai told Media. “But I’m not aware of the reason for such an enquiry.”
Sardesai added that the party was still to take a decision as to who it would support during the MLC elections.
Meanwhile, earlier this week, Mungantiwar had told MiD DAY, “MNS is an opposition party and we’re seeking its support for the council elections.”
Even, leader of the Opposition from BJP, Eknath Khadse, claimed yesterday that the party would not hesitate to confabulate with the MNS.
The third voice
Shiv Sena spokesperson Prakash Mahajan said his party and the BJP were both vying to have maximum candidates. “We have an alliance for the Assembly. If the BJP wants to connect with other parties, it can as it wants votes for the MLC elections,” said Mahajan. “We have already declared two candidates for the election and have no plans to introduce any changes. Now, it’s up to the BJP what it wants to do.”
——-Agencies