No MNS in mega alliance, says Gadkari
The attempts to draw the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena into the fold of the mega alliance of Shiv Sena-BJP-RPI have failed due to the negative attitude of the Thackeray cousins, former BJP president Nitin Gadkari has revealed.
The BJP leader also clarified that they would no longer pursue the MNS, and that all efforts to include the party in its mega alliance have ended.
The party has been consistently trying to include the MNS into its mega alliance.
The BJP was of the view that if the MNS joined the saffron alliance, it would be easier to defeat the ruling Congress-NCP combine in the upcoming elections.
According to sources, Mr Gadkari, as well as the newly-appointed state president Devendra Fadnavis, had visited MNS chief Raj Thackeray to discuss the possibility of a patch-up between him and his cousin Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.
However, their efforts suffered a big blow last week, when Uddhav clarified that the Sena and MNS would not work together. Similarly, Raj warned BJP leaders against discussing about a possible alliance between the two estranged cousins. Sources claimed that Raj also threatened to make public the discussions between the BJP leaders and him.
This is said to have upset the BJP’s plans and consequently, Mr Gadkari revealed to a local newspaper in Nagpur that both the cousins did not want to make the grand alliance, sources said.
“The BJP was trying to induct MNS into the mega alliance to ensure the ouster of the Democratic Front government in the state, but the MNS itself is not ready for this. The Shiv Sena is also not keen on this; hence, discussion of a grand alliance is sheer waste of time. We are ready to face the election results and there is no reason to worry,” Mr Gadkari said.
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