Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray arrived in Delhi late Monday amidst intense speculation about his party's potential pre-poll alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The primary agenda of Thackeray's Delhi visit is reportedly to hold discussions with the top leadership of the BJP, including a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. This move comes at a crucial juncture as both parties are grappling with seat-sharing disputes ahead of the upcoming elections in Maharashtra.
The BJP is concurrently conducting discussions within its core committee to resolve contentious seat-sharing issues, with prominent Maharashtra BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis in attendance. The potential alliance between MNS and BJP has long been speculated, although Thackeray has remained noncommittal about it during his public appearances.
Despite not having any MLAs or MPs in Maharashtra, the BJP is eyeing Thackeray's influence over Marathi-speaking voters in key regions such as Mumbai, Thane, Pune, and Nashik. The MNS had previously demonstrated electoral strength in the 2012 polls for the Pune and Nashik civic bodies, marking a period when Raj Thackeray held considerable sway in Maharashtra's political landscape.
However, internal conflicts and inconsistent campaigning have weakened the MNS over the years, notably following setbacks in the 2014 parliamentary and assembly elections. Subsequent electoral defeats in the 2017 civic polls and the 2019 State and General elections further eroded the party's standing.
Following the MNS's electoral setbacks in 2019, the party underwent an ideological shift towards 'Hindutva' politics. This ideological shift brought the MNS closer to the BJP, positioning itself as an alternative 'Hindutva' force against Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena in Mharashtra. Between 2022 and 2023, Raj Thackeray intensified his 'loudspeaker issue,' demanding the removal of loudspeakers playing the azaan from mosques, signaling a proactive stance on 'Hindutva' issues.