Raj Thackeray meets Shinde, deputy CM Fadnavis amid poll tie-up buzz

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and MNS head Raj Thackeray met here on Thursday amid talk of a possible alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

The meeting took place at the Taj Lands End hotel in suburban Bandra.

Later in the day, Shinde said talks are on and ''appropriate decision will be taken at appropriate time''.

Earlier, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Thackeray called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Tuesday, in an indication the BJP was looking to ally with him for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls to boost its alliance in the western state, which has 48 seats, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh (80).

Senior MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar had later said talks on the Lok Sabha polls between the two leaders were ''positive'', and details will be shared in a day or two.

Deputy CM Fadnavis, a senior BJP leader, on Wednesday said the talks between Shah and Raj Thackeray were positive, and the picture (on a possible tie-up) would be clear in the next few days.

Raj Thackeray parted ways with the undivided Shiv Sena led by his cousin Uddhav Thackeray, and founded the MNS in 2006.

If a pre-poll alliance between the ruling coalition and the MNS is sealed, the Raj Thackeray-led outfit is likely be given one seat in Mumbai.

Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the BJP and the NCP headed by deputy CM Ajit Pawar are part of the ruling coalition in Maharashtra.

Elections to the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra will be held in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 20 and votes will be counted on June 4.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)