MNS-BJP ties: Sainiks to meet Uddhav Thackeray

MUMBAI: Senior Shiv Sena leaders will meet party chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday amid discontent among party workers over BJP's growing proximity to MNS. On Monday, BJP's Vinod Tawde and Ashish Shelar called on MNS boss Raj Thackeray for talks on the state legislative council polls

Sources said pressure is mounting on Uddhav to break his silence and take a "firm line" vis-a-vis BJP as there is no let-up in the latter's overtures to MNS. The Sena brass has been uncharacteristically quiet, particularly after MNS's Sunday rally where Raj extended support to Narendra Modi.

Driving a wedge between Sena and BJP could well be MNS's gameplan for the assembly polls in October, paving the way for new political equations in Maharashtra, said MNS observers. "Rajsaheb has dropped hints to this effect by declaring support to Modiji," said a senior party functionary on Monday.

On the other hand, Sena strategists are worried that BJP may act pricey with Matoshree if NDA under Modi's captaincy assumes office at the Centre. "The latest turn of events don't augur well for the Sena-BJP alliance. BJP should realize that Shiv Sainiks could ruin its poll prospects by staying away from the campaign," said a state BJP leader sceptical of Nitin Gadkari's and the Tawde-Shelar duo's growing affection for Raj.