NO ALLIANCE BETWEEN MNS AND BJP, THACKERAY LED MNS TO FIGHT ELECTIONS ALONE

Rumours that the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) would form an alliance with the BJP for the Mumbai municipal elections have been dispelled following the most recent gathering of MNS leaders. According to reports, the party resolved during the meeting to run alone in the next municipal election.

MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said, "We have decided to fight local body elections alone. We have not decided on any coalition. Raj Thackeray believes that given the confusion in the Shiv Sena, people will give a mandate to MNS."

The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) will run candidates in all 227 wards and is anticipated to run on Hindutva and Marathi manoos platforms despite developing amity with the BJP and Shinde camp, particularly following the fall of the MVA administration in the state. Sandeep Deshpande, a close friend and former councilman of Raj Thackeray, announced MNS' decision to break its ties with all parties.

“Go to the voters thinking that the Nagpur Municipal elections have been announced. Get to work, we want to contest every seat,” Mr Thackeray told his party workers.

Repeated talks between the head of the MNS and senior BJP officials in recent weeks had led to widespread rumours of a potential coalition between the BJP and the MNS.

Following the discussions, there was "Ganpati diplomacy," in which Mr Thackeray, BJP leaders including Mr Fadnavis, as well as Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of the opposing Shiv Sena party, paid each other visits for Ganesh darshan at their residences.

The MNS general secretary earlier this week intimated that the party will run candidates in all 227 wards for the Mumbai local council elections, but this diplomacy turned out to be anticlimactic.