Ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly election on November 20, 2024, political parties are seeking to validate their positions. Sanjay Raut, spokesperson for Shiv Sena UBT, claimed that MNS president Raj Thackeray is endorsing and praising the BJP out of concern that his son Amit, who is contesting in the Mahim constituency.
On Wednesday, October 30, Raj Thackeray announced that the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) plan to team up after the upcoming elections, declaring that the next chief minister will come from the BJP. In response, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut slammed Thackeray for his apparent shift toward the BJP, pointing out the inconsistency with his past statements. "One can understand the frame of mind of a person whose son is contesting an election. Someone who once said the BJP should be driven out of Maharashtra and that Amit Shah and Narendra Modi should not be allowed to enter the state is now singing praises of the BJP," Raut remarked.
Raut further suggested that Thackeray knows the chief minister will likely come from the opposition's Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition. "Raj Thackeray knows that Maharashtra will have the chief minister from the Maha Vikas Aghadi," he added, referencing Thackeray's previous anti-BJP campaign during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The upcoming election is shaping up to be a three-way race, featuring Amit Thackeray (Raj’s son) running as the MNS candidate in Mahim, BJP ally Sadanand Sarvankar of the Shiv Sena, and Mahesh Sawant from the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT). Sarvankar has confirmed he will stay in the race, with the withdrawal deadline set for November 4.
Raut criticized Raj Thackeray’s newfound support for Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, suggesting his change of heart stems from concern for his son's political future. "This leader didn’t even allow PM Modi and HM Amit Shah to come to Maharashtra, but now he has started praising them. He has fear in his mind... But in Maharashtra, there will be a CM of MVA, and Raj Thackeray knows this very well," Raut said.
Raut stressed that despite Thackeray's shift in tone, the support for the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition remains strong. "Raj Thackeray is fully aware of this," he stated. He also accused BJP leaders of compromising their party's identity and values, hinting at a larger conspiracy involving Amit Shah, Narendra Modi, and Devendra Fadnavis. Meanwhile, Amit Thackeray, contesting from Mahim, expressed his dedication to the election, calling it a "great responsibility" he plans to fulfill passionately. He emphasized his personal outreach strategy, stating, "I like one-to-one connections with people."
The Maharashtra Assembly election is set for November 20, with vote counting for all 288 constituencies scheduled for November 23