Troubled by the bitter political rivalry between Shiv Sena’s executive President Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership is hoping that the health problems of Bal Thackeray would be able to bring both the brothers together on the same political plank before the crucial state assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Senior leaders of the BJP argue that if Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) also joins the alliance with BJP and Shiv Sena, the political alliance would allow them to secure more seats together and form a government in the state.
“We want Uddhav and Raj Thackeray to end their differences and come together in Maharashtra. Efforts have been made and senior leaders of the BJP have also spoken to both the brothers to join hands because that will allow the alliance to win more seats in Maharashtra,” said a senior leader of BJP.
Interestingly, BJP chief Nitin Gadkari is also taking keen interest in bringing the brothers together. With Raj Thackeray finally meeting Bal Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray often after the two Maharashtra politicians suffered health problems, BJP leaders believe that an alliance is also a possibility.
BJP leadership believes that if the three political parties form an alliance then they would be able to “sweep the election” in Maharashtra because the Congress and NCP alliance has suffered a setback because of the ongoing anti-corruption mood in the country. Both Congress and NCP have faced severe corruption allegations in Maharashtra and at the centre, the BJP hopes to be able to bring together all the non-Congress parties together.
“We don’t want Raj Thackeray to merge his political party with Shiv Sena because that is not going to happen. Raj Thackeray has done well and won 13 seats in the last assembly election and there is no way that he is going to let his influence go. We are working on the possibility of bringing Raj Thackeray in the alliance so that votes are not divided and there is a clear fight between Congress and non-Congress parties,” the BJP leader added.
During the last assembly election in Maharashtra, BJP won 46 seats, Shiv Sena’s tally was at 44 while MNS had managed to win 13 seats from the total 288 seats of the assembly.
