Raj-Uddhav begin seat-sharing talks

Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS are in seat-sharing talks for BMC elections, with Sena likely to offer 70-75 seats while leading. Relations between the leaders are improving.

MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS have begun their seat-sharing talks this week although a formal announcement of an alliance is yet to be made by their leaders Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray. A senior Sena (UBT) leader said that talks were on at the junior level and the Sena might give 70 to 75 seats to the MNS. The BMC has 227 electoral wards.

Raj-Uddhav begin seat-sharing talks

“We will give them a share with due respect but we will be leading with more seats,” said the Sena (UBT) leader.

The estranged cousins have been growing closer. Raj, who had earlier spoken about the BJP attempting to finish ‘Brand Thackeray’, in an April podcast spoke about a potential political rapprochement with Uddhav. Noting that their past differences were “trivial”, the MNS chief said that uniting for the greater good of the Marathi manoos was not a difficult task. Thereafter, the two cousins have come together on a dozen occasions, both political and personal.