Team News Riveting
Mumbai, October 21
In a significant political move ahead of elections to the 10 municipal corporations including Mumbai, Maharashtra is heading for a new alliance.
In an overt signal of a possible political realignment, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis participated in a Diwali event organized by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) here on Friday. MNS Chief Raj Thackeray welcomed the two leaders at the `Deepotsav’ function.
Shinde said Diwali and other festivals could not be celebrated in the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We have celebrated Ganpati, Navratri festivals on a large scale (this year). This is a good start to Diwali and we are breathing freely,” he said.
Elections to the 10 municipal corporations including Mumbai are expected to be announced in the coming days.
The BJP along with the Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena is looking to unseat the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena from the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). This is the second time in a month that Raj Thackeray is meeting the Chief Minister and his deputy hinting at a strategic alliance ahead of the upcoming BMC polls.
A month ago, Raj Thackeray with his family visited Shinde’s official residence, Varsha, for Ganeshotsav, while Fadnavis was spotted at Raj Thackeray’s home in Dadar – ‘Shivtirth’. Raj Thackeray’s wife Sharmila welcomed Fadnavis with a traditional Maharashtrian ritual.
