Ahead of MNS’S Maha conclave on Jan 23, political leaders visit Raj

MUMBAI: Ahead of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s (MNS) first ‘Maha-adhiveshan’ conclave scheduled next week, various political leaders have started meeting party chief Raj Thackeray.

On Saturday, Harshvardhan Jadhav, the son-in-law of Union minister of state and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Raosaheb Danve, met Thackeray. Prakash Mahajan, the uncle of BJP leader Pankaja Munde, also visited Thackeray and expressed willingness to work with him. Both Danve and Mahajan had been MNS members in the party’s initial years.

According to Jadhav, the visit was just a courtesy call. “I have come to meet Rajsaheb. There is no such proposal of joining the MNS,” said Jadhav. Mahajan, meanwhile, said he was intrigued as Thackeray is reportedly set to veer towards the Hindutva ideology.

The meetings assume significance

as Thackeray is said to announce his party’s stand on Hindutva, and change the colour of his party flag to saffron on January 23 — the birth anniversary of Shiv Sena founder and the MNS chief’s mentor Bal Thackeray. MNS is also said to be preparing to align with the BJP, and both Mahajan and Danve have good relationships with the top BJP leadership.

Jadhav, who was elected to the Maharashtra Assembly in 2009 on an MNS ticket, deserted

the party and won the 2014 Assembly elections on a Sena ticket. After that, he resigned from the Sena and contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate. Although he was unsuccessful, he gained a substantial number of votes to ensure veteran Sena candidate Chandrakant Khaire’s defeat.

Mahajan was once a prominent leader of MNS before he was shown the door by Thackeray in 2009.