The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership convened a meeting in Delhi with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule to discuss seat allocation for the upcoming elections in Maharashtra.
Despite the absence of any MNS representatives in the state legislature or parliament, the BJP is reportedly considering an alliance with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) led by Raj Thackeray. This is due to Thackeray's strong influence among Marathi-speaking voters in key cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Thane, and Nashik.
However, both the MNS and the BJP have remained silent on the potential alliance. Fadnavis stated that he could not provide any official information at this time, but would announce any decisions made.
Thackeray, who broke away from the Shiv Sena in 2005, has indicated that his party will determine its strategy for the upcoming elections.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has expressed skepticism about Thackeray's motives, suggesting that he may be seeking to protect himself and his party from government scrutiny.