File pic: MNS Chief Raj Thackeray
Raj Thackeray and his Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) may not contest the national election, a decision that could translate into a spectacular advantage for the BJP in India's second most politically vital state, Maharashtra.
Sources say the MNS leader may stand down in the Lok Sabha polls, due by May, to help the BJP and Shiv Sena consolidate anti-Congress votes. As part of the deal, the MNS may opt for a tie-up with the BJP-led coalition for the Maharashtra assembly due in October.
"The MNS is unlikely to contest the Lok Sabha polls. The party wants to focus on the Maharashtra election," sources said. But some members of Raj Thackeray's party are reportedly against the plan, so a final decision may be revealed only on March 9.
BJP leader Nitin Gadkari met Mr Thackeray over lunch on Monday and told him that his party would only end up helping the Congress and NCP in Maharashtra, which has the second largest number of Lok Sabha seats at 48.
"I appealed to him to either stay away from the Lok Sabha polls or help our candidates. Or contest in as few seats as possible," Mr Gadkari told reporters.
The BJP's long-time ally Shiv Sena is upset about the meeting and warned today that it would "affect" the alliance.
"If a senior leader from BJP supports Raj Thackeray or Sharad Pawar (Nationalist Congress Party leader), it will affect our grand alliance," Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut said.
Raj Thackeray, the estranged cousin of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, broke away from the Sena in 2005 to set up his own party. He made a strong debut in the 2009 Maharashtra state election, winning 13 of 288 seats but damaging the BJP and Sena in some 55 seats.
In the 2009 Lok Sabha election, Raj Thackeray walked away with 15 per cent of the opposition votes and this is something the BJP wants to avoid at all costs.
The MNS and Shiv Sena have ended up eating into each other's vote base due to their almost identical appeal based on regional chauvinism.