Amid BJP-MNS alliance speculations, Raj Thackeray leaves for Aurangabad

Raj, whose closeness to BJP is not hidden, left his Shivaji Park residence in Mumbai on Friday and headed for Pune

Amid indications of a possible alliance with the BJP, MNS president Raj Thackeray on Friday left for Aurangabad, where he would address a mammoth rally on May 1 and chart a new course in his political career.

For the 53-year-old firebrand nephew of late Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and estranged cousin of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the next couple of years are crucial as a series of municipal corporations go to the polls and that would lead to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls in 2024.

Raj, whose closeness to the BJP is not hidden, left his Shivaji Park residence in Mumbai on Friday and headed for Pune.

Also Read | 'No yogis, only bhogis here': Raj Thackeray lauds Yogi's loudspeaker crackdown, targets Uddhav

After an overnight halt, he would drive to Aurangabad, where he would address a mammoth rally on Sunday, coinciding with Maharashtra Day festivities.

During the rally, Raj, an orator-par-excellence, is expected to galvanise his party cadres to carry out his threat of reciting “Hanuman Chalisa” in front of mosques five times a day if loudspeakers are not removed from mosque by the stipulated deadline May 3.

Raj has also announced June 5 as the date when he would visit Ayodhya, and take darshans of Ram Lalla. During the visit, a meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is also being worked out.

Ahead of Aurangabad, Raj praised Adityanath by saying, “I wholeheartedly congratulate and stand grateful to the Yogi government for having removed the loudspeakers from religious places, especially the masjids. Unfortunately in Maharashtra we do not have any ‘yogis’ but ‘bhogis’ (hedonists). Here’s hoping and praying good sense prevails.”

Shiv Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut, however, speaking to reporters said, “who is ‘yogi’ and who is ‘bhogi’ is to be seen." On being asked about Raj’s stand, he said, “Raj is a subject of PhD.”

When Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar was asked about the possible alliance of BJP and MNS, said, “We don’t know…but alliances have happened at district, state and central levels…we have seen NDA, we have seen UPA.”

Meanwhile, preparations are going in full swing to ready the Samnkritik Mahamandal ground at Aurangabad for Raj’s public rally. The police have permitted the rally with various conditions.

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