In a shrewd political move aimed at queering the pitch for its arch rival Shiv Sena, MNS on Sunday declared its support for Narendra Modi in his prime ministerial bid. It also fielded its candidates for the Lok Sabha polls mainly from those constituencies which are contested by the Sena, virtually sparing the BJP.
Addressing his party workers on the eighth foundation day of MNS here, party chief Raj Thackeray said that Modi should become the Prime Minister.
Raj’s declaration to contest the elections came days after former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari appealed to him in a private conclave here not to field candidates in a bid to avoid consolidation of votes in favour of the Congress. Gadkari’s overture had ruffled the feathers of the Shiv Sena.