Raj Thackeray meets Amit Shah as BJP plans to expand NDA

Mumbai: Once an admirer of the Gujarat model, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena founder-President Raj Thackeray emerged as one of the bitter critics of Narendra Modi during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. However, five years, later he met the Prime Minister’s aide and BJP’s trouble-shooter Amit Shah with an intention to join the ruling Maha Yuti-NDA coalition. 

The BJP too gains a lot. After effectively breaking up the Uddhav Thackeray-led party and handing over the reins to Eknath Shinde, who is now the chief leader of Shiv Sena, the national saffron party gets a Thackeray surname in its fold in the form of Raj, who is an excellent orator.

Raj Thackeray, the charismatic nephew of late Balasaheb Thackeray and estranged cousin of Uddhav, air-dashed to New Delhi with his son, Amit Thackeray, to meet Shah. Before that the father-son duo held a meeting with BJP’s general secretary  Vinod Tawde, who hails from Mumbai.

Since the toppling of Maha Vikas Aghadi government, Raj has been in touch with BJP’s Maharashtra pointsman and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who had pursued him to get Raj to join the NDA coalition in the state.  

Before initiating final talks with Raj, Fadnavis has conveyed his intentions to Shinde, the Chief Minister and NCP’s Ajit Pawar, who became Deputy Chief Minister after rebelling against his uncle and mentor Sharad Pawar.

However, after Tuesday's meeting, the BJP has neither briefed about the meeting nor has Raj spoken about it.

It may be mentioned, in 2019, Raj did not contest the Lok Sabha polls, but allied with the opposition and launched a tirade against Modi-Shah duo. 

Ahead of 2024 polls, Raj’s party is asking for two seats - Mumbai South and Nashik, however, it is to be seen whether the BJP concedes these two seats.

While Raj’s close aide Bala Nandgaonkar could be the possible candidate, some have even suggested the MNS chief’s son. 

In case, Raj formally becomes an NDA ally, the Maha Vikas Aghadi parties would expand to 11 including BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP.

In the debut Vidhan elections held in 2009, the MNS won 13 out of 288 seats, mostly in Mumbai, however, in 2014 and 2019, his party could manage to secure just one seat. 

After getting out of Shiv Sena following differences, Raj had formed MNS in 2006 and took up the cause  Marathi-manoos. He has expanded his mission to embrace the cause of Hindutva too.

Reacting to the development, Uddhav said: "In Maharashtra you get votes in the name of Thackeray and not Modi... they are trying to steal the Thackeray-name."

NCP (SCP) national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said: "No surprise in Raj Thackeray going to Delhi! For a long time, he was giving feelers about his closeness to the BJP."