Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray (R) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray.
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: The formal alliance between the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray-headed MNS is expected to be announced in around a week’s time in the run up to the elections to 29 municipal corporations of Maharashtra.
“Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray had come together…we would be contesting the municipal corporations of Mumbai, Thane, Mira-Bhayandar, Kalyan-Dombivli, Pune and Nashik…these are the six big corporations…in rest of the places, the local units of Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS all take a call,” said Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut.
Asked about the announcement of a formal alliance, Raut, who is an aide of Uddhav and close friend of Raj, said that we can expect it in a week’s time.
“This is a battle for the existence of the Marathi people in Mumbai. People of all positions and ages should join this fight. We will not let Mumbai fall into (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah's hands,” Raut said, taking a dig at the BJP.
Shiv Sena (UBT) is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which also comprises the Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP.
It may be mentioned, the Congress has decided to go alone in Mumbai in the municipal corporation elections and left it at the party’s local units to decide at their levels.
“The Congress is not with us at the moment . We spoke to senior Congress leaders, and they said that the decision will be taken at the local level. We told them not to do anything that would benefit the BJP,” said Raut.
Meanwhile, Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said that decisions on alliances under the opposition's MVA combine would be taken by local leaders after assessing local political equations.