The Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) have expressed their displeasure with the BJP following a meeting between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Raj Thackeray, calling into question the ruling party`s trust and potential appeal to north Indian voters if it aligns with the MNS leader.

Raj Thackeray, head of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), met with Amit Shah in Delhi, indicating the possibility of a BJP-MNS alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024. MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar, according to a report in PTI, had said that the talks have yielded “positive” outcome. and said details will be shared soon. 

In response to this development, Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe questioned the BJP`s ability to win votes among north Indian people after partnering with Raj Thackeray, given his previous problematic remarks about this demographic. Londhe argued that the BJP`s pursuit of partnerships with diverse parties reflects their desire to win enough seats in the Lok Sabha elections, implying a likely defeat for the ruling party, the PTI report added. 

“How will the BJP seek the votes of north Indians after allying with Raj Thackeray? The BJP did not just break the trust of north Indian voters, but has also hurt their pride by “rubbing salt” on their wounds,” Londhe claimed. 

He, per PTI report, further stated that to cross the 400-seat mar of the total 543 in Lok Sabha elections 2024, the BJP has been “forced to ally with anyone who comes their way”. 

“The fact that the BJP has to forge an alliance with Raj Thackeray means they are staring at a defeat. The BJP toppled the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and then hijacked the Shiv Sena party along with its symbol. It also broke Sharad Pawar`s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).  Despite doing all this, winning the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra has become difficult for the BJP. Its defeat seems inevitable,” Londhe claimed according to the news agency report. 

Similarly, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) state president Jayant Patil questioned the BJP`s need for new allies despite its majority, implying a lack of confidence in the incumbent party. Patil asked, “Why does the BJP feel the need for new partners?”

Meanwhile, MNS vice president Vageesh Saraswat confirmed Raj Thackeray`s meeting with the BJP leadership and announced plans for MNS leaders and office bearers to consider the coalition proposal in Mumbai, the PTI report added. 

Saraswat added that the MNS is willing to compete for 14 to 18 seats in Mumbai, Thane, Pune, and Nashik independently if necessary, but will investigate alliance prospects based on the number of seats available.

“He has called a meeting of MNS leaders and office-bearers in Mumbai tomorrow to seek their opinion on whether the alliance proposal should be accepted. We have made preparations to contest 14 to 18 seats in Mumbai, Thane, Pune and Nashik if we go alone, else we will go by how many seats we get in the alliance,” Saraswat was quoted in the PTI report as saying. 

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