Mumbai: MNS-BJP alliance talks resume at state level

MNS chief Raj Thackeray. File Pic/Sameer Markande

The BJP and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) extended their talks on Thursday for a pre-poll arrangement between them. The meeting came after MNS president Raj Thackeray's closed-door interaction with BJP's top leader Amit Shah in New Delhi.

Raj was invited to the national capital early this week, giving rise to speculations that the MNS would be included in the NDA ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Insiders said the BJP is not willing to part with the number of Lok Sabha seats the MNS has demanded. Another round of talks is likely to happen soon between the state leadership and Raj, but both parties are not in a hurry because the voting in the MNS's area of interest will be held almost two months later.

NDA partner Shiv Sena (Shinde) took part in the discussion on Thursday, but the Nationalist Congress Party was conspicuous by its absence. CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis met Raj at a five-star hotel in Bandra. Following his interaction with the CM and DCM, Raj met his party leaders. Insiders said the MNS has asked for two Lok Sabha constituencies. It definitely wants Mumbai South and in addition, would love to have one more seat either from Mumbai or north Maharashtra.

One of Raj's lieutenants could contest from a segment in North Maharashtra that is reserved for scheduled castes. Raj's son Amit Thackeray could contest Mumbai South where the Shiv Sena (UBT)'s sitting MP Arvind Sawant will oppose the NDA. The BJP has been preparing for this constituency. People in the know said that the alliance was bound to happen because, if that wasn't the case, Raj wouldn't have been invited to New Delhi to meet the BJP's high command. It is only a matter of time before the official announcement is made, said an NDA leader.

Cong declares 7 names

Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Bhosale has been declared the Congress candidate from Kolhapur. Praniti Sushilkumar Shinde will be the party's nominee from Solapur that is reserved for the Scheduled Castes. The Congress, still engaged in a tussle with its MVA partners for seat-sharing, declared seven names, mostly the reserved seats for SCs and Scheduled Tribes. In Nandurbar-ST, Gowall Padvi has been nominated. Amravati's SC segment will have a sitting MLA Balwant Wankhede. Nanded has Vasant Chavan and Pune, sitting MLA Ravindra Dhangekar. Latur-SC will have Dr Shivaji Kalge. Shahu Maharaj is a consensus candidate of the MVA. The constituency was with the Shiv Sena-UBT, but Uddhav Thackeray gave it up for Shahu Maharaj. Except Solapur, Kolhapur and Amravati, the BJP has announced the candidatures for the segments the Congress chose to take up on Thursday.

48
No of Lok sabha seats in Maharashtra