The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) turning down the Shiv Sena’s proposal to form an alliance before the Nanded polls may adversely impact the chances of similar moves in the future.
“Their rejection reflects poorly on us. It will help the MNS gain an upper hand at least in some places where they are one up on us,” said a Shiv Sena MP.
He added that this would affect the chances for any such future overtures. “We will have to make cautious moves in future,” he said.
The Sena had offered the MNS with a pre-poll alliance in the Nanded-Waghala Municipal Corporation (NWMC) to take on the former chief minister Ashok Chavan. The polls to the 81 seats in the civic body are due on October 14.
The Sena’s move was significant as this could have been the first pre-poll alliance between the two warring parties. However, Raj spurned the offer. The Sena and MNS had earlier reached post-election understandings in places like Ambernath, Thane and Kalyan Dombivli.
“Our people rushed into it. They should have proceeded secretly,” the MP said. He blamed party leaders for going public with the development before things had crystallised.
“We will not join hands with the MNS. The Sena, BJP and RPI (Athavale) will contest together. Their decision will not affect us as the MNS does not have much strength in Nanded,” said Sena leader and Nanded sampark pramukh (outreach chief), Suhas Samant. He added that the saffron alliance would benefit from the anti-incumbency against the Congress.
