Raj Thackeray meets CM Eknath Shinde in Vidhan Bhavan, renewing potential alliance buzz

Mr. Thackeray had earlier hinted that his party would go it alone in the civic polls

Amid ambivalence in forging an alliance with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Friday met with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on the Legislative Assembly premises during the ongoing Winter Session of the State Legislature in Nagpur.

Mr. Thackeray held a brief closed-door meeting with Mr. Shinde, where the two leaders were seen sharing much bonhomie.

The meeting has renewed the buzz of a possible alliance between the ruling Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena (Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena)-BJP coalition and the MNS before the crucial civic polls in the State.

Mr. Thackeray was in Nagpur city to give appointment letters to the newly-recruited office bearers of his party in the Vidarbha region. Addressing his partymen on the occasion, Mr. Thackeray said every political party or political leader has to face defeat at some point in their career. “However, that does not mean one should be dispirited. Each party has its phases. Earlier, the Congress was the established party in Vidarbha. Then, the BJP fought them to become the dominant party here… Even the BJP could secure a majority only in 2014. The RSS was established in 1925 and the Jan Sangh in 1952. While they had some minor electoral gains, it took them several decades before they could come to power with an absolute majority in 2014. Even the Congress has had to struggle and so did the Shiv Sena. Despite being founded in 1966, the Sena secured power only in 1995,” the MNS chief pointed out.

In a bid to enthuse his cadre, Mr. Thackeray said that while other parties may laugh at the MNS’s political neophytes now, tomorrow they would be surprised when these rookies (newly-recruited MNS bearers) begin winning local and regional elections.

“Today, our detractors will say what ‘will these newbies [fresh MNS office bearers] do?’. They may laugh at you… but tomorrow, you will surprise them by winning Corporation, Assembly and Lok Sabha elections,” said the MNS chief.

In a bid to overhaul the party organisation, Mr. Thackeray had dissolved all top MNS posts in Nagpur in September this year while stating that a new working committee would be constituted soon in which youngsters would be given a chance.