Mumbai: Days after his meeting at Nashik, the state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil on Friday visited the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena founder Raj Thackeray’s residence in the presence of the latter's family members and discussed a whole range of issues including present state and national politics, Coronavirus pandemic and monsoon fury. However, after his tete-a-tete, Patil clarified that the alliance between the two parties for the ensuing elections to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) slated for 2022 was not on agenda.
Patil, after the meeting, said that “’Currently, there is no proposal of BJP and MNS going together in 2022 BMC.’’ He reiterated that alliance was not on the cards at the moment.
"Raj told me that he does not hold any grudge against the non-Marathi people living in Mumbai. We still have some political differences and there is no proposal to join hands ahead of the polls at this moment," said Patil.
MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said he cannot disclose what transpired during the meeting, but "we will be happy if the two parties join hands."
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Devendra Fadnavis said Patil has already made it clear that there has been no discussion on the issue of alliance etc. “In Maharashtra, there are no restrictions on meeting anyone. The only difference between Raj Thackeray and our party is that we do not agree with the former's stand on people from other parts of India (parprantiya). He has now accepted Hindutva which BJP stands for. This is definitely the same thread between us. Therefore, unless the other issues are resolved, there is no point talking ifs and buts,’’ clarified Fadnavis.