<p>Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Santosh Dhuri on Tuesday joined the BJP, claiming that the Raj Thackeray-led party ignored its own loyalists and ceded wards to the Shiv Sena (UBT) in the seat-sharing for the Mumbai civic elections.</p>.<p>Dhuri was a strong contender for the MNS ticket from ward no 194 in Mahim assembly constituency, but the seat was given to Shiv Sena (UBT) which has formed an alliance with the MNS for the January 15 election to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).</p>.<p>Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam welcomed Dhuri into the party.</p>.One has to come to State politics after Central politics is done: Prathap Simha .<p>Dhuri claimed that the Raj Thackeray-led party was given only those wards where the Sena (UBT) would have found it difficult to win. In places like Mahim, Dadar, Sewree, Worli and Bhandup, where Marathi-speakers live in large numbers, the MNS had demanded at least two seats but got only one, he said.</p>.<p>MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande was not even involved in the seat-sharing talks, claimed Dhuri.</p>.<p>"The Maha Vikas Aghadi government (headed by Uddhav Thackeray) slapped cases against us for Hindutva, and made us stay out of Maharashtra. We forgot everything...these people took six corporators from us (after the 2017 civic body polls) but we even forgot that," Dhuri said.</p>.<p>MNS loyalists were ignored for the sake of ticket aspirants in the Shiv Sena (UBT), he said, adding, "Raj saheb has surrendered his party to Uddhav Thackeray." BJP minister Nitesh Rane contacted him and facilitated a meeting with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Dhuri said.</p>
<p>Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Santosh Dhuri on Tuesday joined the BJP, claiming that the Raj Thackeray-led party ignored its own loyalists and ceded wards to the Shiv Sena (UBT) in the seat-sharing for the Mumbai civic elections.</p>.<p>Dhuri was a strong contender for the MNS ticket from ward no 194 in Mahim assembly constituency, but the seat was given to Shiv Sena (UBT) which has formed an alliance with the MNS for the January 15 election to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).</p>.<p>Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam welcomed Dhuri into the party.</p>.One has to come to State politics after Central politics is done: Prathap Simha .<p>Dhuri claimed that the Raj Thackeray-led party was given only those wards where the Sena (UBT) would have found it difficult to win. In places like Mahim, Dadar, Sewree, Worli and Bhandup, where Marathi-speakers live in large numbers, the MNS had demanded at least two seats but got only one, he said.</p>.<p>MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande was not even involved in the seat-sharing talks, claimed Dhuri.</p>.<p>"The Maha Vikas Aghadi government (headed by Uddhav Thackeray) slapped cases against us for Hindutva, and made us stay out of Maharashtra. We forgot everything...these people took six corporators from us (after the 2017 civic body polls) but we even forgot that," Dhuri said.</p>.<p>MNS loyalists were ignored for the sake of ticket aspirants in the Shiv Sena (UBT), he said, adding, "Raj saheb has surrendered his party to Uddhav Thackeray." BJP minister Nitesh Rane contacted him and facilitated a meeting with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Dhuri said.</p>