Raj Thackeray, the chief of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), engaged in discussions with Home Minister and prominent BJP figure Amit Shah in Delhi today. This meeting has fueled widespread speculation about the potential collaboration between the right-wing MNS and the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena coalition in Maharashtra ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Accompanied by his son, Amit Thackeray, the influential political figure convened with Amit Shah in the capital. This interaction follows recent reports suggesting that the MNS may align itself with the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in Maharashtra, with the parliamentary elections looming large. Sources indicate that Raj Thackeray arrived in Delhi on Monday night, coinciding with the presence of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and State BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule in the national capital.

It is rumored that Thackeray may request two electoral constituencies—South Mumbai and Shirdi—for his party, the MNS.

Raj Thackeray shares a familial relationship with former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who currently heads the opposition in the state. Thackeray is the nephew of the late Bal Thackeray, the founder of Shiv Sena and Uddhav’s father. Uddhav Thackeray leads a separate faction within the Shiv Sena. However, in January, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar recognized the faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the “authentic Shiv Sena.”

The Shiv Sena experienced a division into two factions following a rebellion spearheaded by Eknath Shinde in 2022, which ultimately led to his ascension to the role of Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Presently, the ruling coalition in Maharashtra comprises the BJP, NCP, and the faction led by Shinde within the Shiv Sena.