Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Bala Nandgaonkar today (October 26) said that he will definitely unite estranged Thackeray cousins Uddhav and Raj together, if he gets a chance.
"If I get a chance to bring Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray together, then I will definitely do it," said Nandgaonkar.
The MNS leader filed his nomination on Friday (October 25) from the Shivadi assembly seat for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections. MNS chief Raj Thackeray was also present during the nomination filing of Nandgaonkar.
"15 years ago I contested the election from here and won but in between PM Modi's wave came and everything was lost... I am loyal to the Thackeray family," he told media on Friday after filing his nomination.
Raj, once seen as the political heir of his uncle and the late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, left the Shiv Sena in 2005 at the culmination of an internecine dispute for political control with Uddhav and floated the MNS the next year.
As Maharashtra now heads for assembly polls, skirmishes on the ground are adding fuel to the animosity. On August 9, in Marathwada's Beed district, Sena (UBT) leaders and workers threw supari (betel nuts) and tomatoes at the vehicle carrying Raj. The MNS chief has been on a state-wide tour. In retaliation, protesting MNS workers, on August 10, threw bangles, tomatoes and cow dung at the car carrying Uddhav when he arrived in Thane for a party meeting.
Further highlighting that he is aware of the problems in his constituency, Nandgaonkar told media, "I am well aware of the problems in my constituency and based on that, I have prepared a blueprint and I will present it to the people, my vision is reaching in every house. Also if anyone will have any suggestions, I will take that too."
Who is Bala Nandgaonkar?
Bala Nandgaonkar has won the assembly elections three times. He won the 1995 assembly election as a Shiv Sena candidate from Mazgaon constituency, defeating Chhagan Bhujbal, then a Congress leader. He also won the elections in 1999 and 2004.
Bhujbal is currently part of the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar) and minister of Food, Civil Supplies, and consumer protection. MNS party was founded by Raj Thackeray in 2006, breaking away from the then undivided Shiv Sena. Nandgaonkar left Shiv Sena and joined MNS along with Raj Thackeray.
The party has announced candidates for over 50 seats in the upcoming assembly elections. The 288 Maharashtra assembly would be going to polls on November 20, with the counting of votes set for November 23.
