Thackeray’s discuss seat-sharing formula on Thursday meeting, Uddhav visits Raj residence

With less than two months left for the BMC polls in Mumbai the Thackeray cousins — Uddhav and Raj — met on Thursday to finalise the seat-sharing formula and other arrangements for the polls to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the richest civic body of Asia, which the undivided Shiv Sena has controlled in a row for quarter of a century, which the undivided Shiv Sena run by the Uddhav Thackeray family has controlled for the last 30 years.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS are expected to contest the elections together in Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Pune and Nashik – maybe in a few additional areas. Uddhav visited Shivtirth, the bungalow of Raj Thackeray, in the Shivaji Park locality in Dadar, and held deliberations for a couple of hours.

No media statement was issued after the meeting and neither of the cousins spoke to the media after the meeting.

Though they are yet to announce a formal association, it remains to be seen if the Raj Thackeray faction will be taken into the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi or MVA. The present MVA comprises Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP). The Congress has decided to go solo for the BMC polls – it is ready to ally with the UBT Sena, but does not want Raj Thackeray’s MNS to be part of the alliance.

Raj Thackeray’s outbursts against North-Indians in Mumbai and non-Marathi speaking people is the prime reason for the Congress trying to distance itself from the party.