Raj Thackeray, in first visit to Delhi in 14 years, meets Sonia Gandhi

According to Thackeray’s aides, Gandhi and Thackeray during their 45-minute meeting discussed the possibility of the MNS being a part of the Congress-NCP led opposition front in Maharashtra for the assembly elections due in September-October this year.

In a politically significant development, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray met United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi at her residence in Delhi on Monday.

In their first ever such meeting, the two leaders are said to have discussed the upcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra. (ANI photo)

In their first ever such meeting, the two leaders are said to have discussed the upcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra, the possibility of an alliance with the Congress apart from the electronic voting machine (EVM) issue, according to Congress leaders aware of the development.

In his first visit to Delhi in 14 years, Thackeray also met Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora and demanded that the assembly elections in Maharashtra should be held through ballot papers.

According to Thackeray’s aides, Gandhi and Thackeray during their 45-minute meeting discussed the possibility of the MNS being a part of the Congress-NCP led opposition front in Maharashtra for the assembly elections due in September-October this year.

“He (Thackeray) suggested that there should be united front against the BJP and in that case, the MNS would be willing to join the front,” said one of his aides who did not want to be named.