There is speculation that Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray may join the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance for the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra.
His cousin and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray is said to have initiated preliminary discussions with the Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), or NCP (SP), for a possible alliance.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut confirmed that discussions are underway with senior Congress leaders to explore the inclusion of Raj Thackeray and the MNS in the MVA. “Raj Thackeray desires that the Congress, which is a constituent of the MVA, should be taken along. This is his stand. But that does not mean any decision has been taken yet,” Raut said.
He further said that all regional parties have their place in Maharashtra’s political landscape. “Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, MNS, Sharad Pawar-led NCP, and the Left parties, all play an important role. Our stand has always been that the Congress should be part of the all-party delegation. Even Raj Thackeray agrees with this,” he said.
While the MNS is yet to formally comment on the alliance, party leaders maintained that the decision rests solely with Raj Thackeray, who is authorised to speak on such matters.
According to sources, Uddhav Thackeray is expected to reach out to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi regarding Thackeray’s possible inclusion in the alliance. The NCP (SP), sources said, has no objections to the proposal, noting that both the MNS and NCP are regional outfits focused on Maharashtra’s interests.
A senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said the NCP (SP) is confident that if Thackeray joins the MVA, he will refrain from delivering speeches targeting minority communities, thus preserving the secular and progressive image of the alliance.
“There is no major issue, as Raj Thackeray had supported both the Congress and the NCP during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and had shared the stage with them. However, the discussions are still in a nascent stage,” the leader said on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, Congress’s Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala convened a meeting with party leaders on Monday to review preparations for the civic and municipal polls. Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal has expressed reservations about the possible inclusion of the MNS in the MVA, and maintained that decisions on local alliances will be taken at the local level.
