A remark by Maharashtra Navnriman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray advocating Narendra Modi's candidature for Prime Minstership, has fuelled speculations on a possible understanding between his party and BJP in the coming assembly elections in Maharashtra.
Thackeray who gave a talk on "Maharashtra of my dream" at the industrial township of Nigdi near here on Sunday praised Modi's efforts that contributed to development of Gujarat and said the country needed a man like him for the top executive job to ensure rapid progress.
The MNS leader also had good words for BJP state unit president Nitin Gadkari, who he said was capable of taking Maharashtra forward on path of development.
Gadkari, however, sought to downplay Thackeray's remarks when he told a Marathi television channel today that BJP's alliance with Shiv Sena was "strong and intact".
While thanking Raj Thackeray for his comments on him, Gadkari said, "I am not in the race for Chief Ministership in the state," adding that in the event of the Sena-BJP alliance getting majority in the assembly poll, the issue would be decided by the Sena chief Bal Thackeray and BJP leader L K Advani.