While there is talk that the two brothers, UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray, will come together for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, various arguments are being fought after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met MNS chief Raj Thackeray at a five-star hotel on Thursday morning. Fadnavis' political maneuvering has created a possibility of derailing the discussions on a possible alliance between the Thackeray brothers.
It is understood that CM Fadnavis has proposed an alliance with Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) during his meeting with Raj Thackeray. The BJP's plan is for Shiv Sena Shinde and MNS to form an alliance and fight together rather than a Mahayuti. In the past few days, there has been talk in political circles about Uddhav and Raj Thackeray forming an alliance for the local body elections. Leaders of both parties and Uddhav Thackeray had also made positive statements in this regard. There is a fear that if the Thackeray brothers come together, the BJP and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena will suffer a major blow in Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Thane, and Navi Mumbai. Therefore, the BJP is trying to prevent the Thackeray brothers from coming together.
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The BJP is not prepared to enter into a direct alliance with Raj Thackeray in the local body elections and give up any seats in municipal corporations like Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nashik, etc. Instead, if MNS forms an alliance with Shinde's Shiv Sena, it will be possible to create a political picture in the context of the elections that Shinde is supported by a leader from the 'Thackeray' family.
If MNS goes with Shinde, their quota seats will be vacated and the political advantage of MNS will be for the BJP and the Mahayuti for Marathi votes in some areas. At the same time, there has been talk that Fadnavis made this political move to prevent Uddhav Thackeray from gaining political advantage through an alliance between the Thackeray brothers.