The Raj Thackeray-led regional satrap Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has demanded 20 seats from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming assembly polls. Most of these seats are in Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), India Today reported citing sources.
The 20 seats demanded by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena include Worli, Dadar-Mahim, Sewree, Magathane, Dindoshi, Jogeshwari, Versova, Ghatkopar-West, Chembur, Thane, Bhiwandi Rural, Kalyan Rural, Nashik East, Vani, Pandharpur, and Aurangabad Central. The regional party has also demanded one assembly seat in Pune.
Moreover, Raj Thackeray is likely to make it an MNS vs Shiv Sena (UBT) fight. As per sources, the firebrand MNS chief is likely to field his lieutenant Sandeep Deshpande from the Worli assembly constituency against nephew and Shiv Sena (UBT) supremo Uddhav Thackeray's son Aaditya Thackeray, sources added.
While MNS's Shalini Thackeray will contest from Versova, Nitin Sardesai is set to contest from Dadar-Mahim. Even though Thackeray is seeking to contest the assembly elections with the BJP, the MNS will contest against the saffron party in the upcoming legislative council elections.
The party has declared Marathi director-actor Abhijit Panse as their candidate from Konkan Graduates constituency for the upcoming legislative council polls. The seat is currently represented by BJP's two-term incumbent MLA Niranjan Davkhare.
After his candidature was announced, Panse said no work has been done for the constituency in the last 10 years by the BJP's sitting candidate. He further emphasised his long-standing involvement with MNS student wing and his familiarity with their issues.
After a review meeting for the constituency, Ravindra Chavan, BJP's Konkan in-charge, said the senior leaders of the Mahayuti alliance would make the final decision about the candidates. He also asserted that the seat belongs to the BJP and remains a party stronghold.
Last month, Raj Thackeray expressed unconditional support to the NDA alliance at an election rally in Mumbai's Shivaji Park. In this rally, Thackeray backed the Modi government for its achievements including the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and the abrogation of Article 370.