Maharashtra BJP President met Raj Thackeray, discussed these issues before BMC elections

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule met MNS chief Raj Thackeray at his residence on Tuesday. The news comes amid speculation that the BJP may woo the MNS ahead of the Mumbai civic polls. Bawankule reached 'Shivtirth', the residence of MNS chief in Shivaji Park area of ​​Dadar around noon. After this the BJP leader did not talk to the journalists. However, later told in a social media post that he discussed various social and political issues related to Maharashtra and the country with Raj Thackeray.

A day earlier, another BJP leader and former Maharashtra minister Vinod Tawde met Raj Thackeray. In the 2017 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, it had won 82 of the 227 seats, just two less than the Shiv Sena's tally. The BJP is trying to woo the MNS for Marathi votes after the split in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena. BMC election schedule has not been announced yet.

On Monday, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also held a meeting with Raj Thackeray. The meeting between the two leaders lasted for about an hour. Since then speculation has started that MNS and BJP may contest together in BMC elections. The MNS chief is back politically after nearly three months of hip surgery. He addressed a meeting of party workers on 23 August and then went to Pune to launch the party's membership drive and programs.

The meetings of BJP leaders with the MNS chief assume significance in view of the upcoming BMC civic polls. However, Raj Thackeray and Fadnavis have not formally announced an alliance. But possible alliances and seat sharing have not been ruled out.