After Chhagan Bhujbal met Raj Thackeray speculations are rife about whether both of them along with Narayan Rane will form an alliance in Maharashtra before 2019 election.
Ever since the Nitish Kumar-Lalu Yadav led Mahagatbandhan’s had won Bihar assembly polls political parties are keen to replicate the same formula in states which are heading for election. After Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal met Raj Thackeray at the latter’s residence speculations are rife about whether Bhujbal is trying to revive his political career. According to sources, Bhujbal is keen to float his own political outfit and is likely to go for an alliance with Raj Thackeray led MNS party. Since Bhujbal’s name has cropped in the Maharashtra Sadan scam, Kalina land deal scam the NCP has been keeping a safe distance from him. Bhujbal is also facing an investigation by the ED into allegations of money laundering.
On the other hand, Congress leader Narayan Rane too is attempting to give a fresh lease of life to his dwindling political career. Few months back, Rane had a meeting with Raj Thackeray to checkmate Sena’s influence in the Konkan region. Rane had already lost the Bandra bye polls to Shiv Sena’s Trupti Sawant. Thus former Shiv Sena leaders Chhagan Bhujbal and Narayan Rane are eyeing for a political alliance with MNS. If everything goes well then Bhujbal, Rane and Raj Thackeray could be a part of an alliance in Maharashtra on the lines of Bihar’s mahagatbandhan before the 2019 election. The MNS which had won 13 seats in the 2009 assembly election could manage to win only one seat in the 2014 assembly election as the party has been losing its foothold in the state.
According to sources from NCP, “Since Chhagan Bhujbal’s name has cropped up in the Maharashtra Sadan scam hence he has been sidelined by Sharad Pawar. Bhujbal is keen to revive his political career hence he is having interaction with Raj Thackeray. He might float his own political outfit and have an alliance with the MNS and Narayan Rane ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha and assembly polls.”
On the other hand Chhagan Bhujbal denied about having any political meeting with Raj Thackeray and said, “The meeting that we had was not political in nature. Raj Thackeray’s mother had fractured her hands and back. My wife and I have old relations with the Thackeray family, and thus went to meet her,” the NCP leader said.
“Every year, the ladies of the house meet outside and go on religious tours. After my wife came to know of the incident, she said she wanted to meet Raj’s mother. That’s why I took my wife and went to meet Kunda tai,” he said.
When asked about the conversation he had with Thackeray, Bhujbal said the talks only revolved around Dalit icon Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and his immense following.
CM Devendra Fadnavis has given his nod to the Anti Corruption Bureau to file a chargesheet against Bhujbal in the Maharashtra Sadan scam as well as the graft in the Kalina library land deal.
The ACB has pressed charges of misconduct and misuse of office against Bhujbal over irregularities in the Kalina land deal case. He has been slapped with more serious corruption charges in the Maharashtra Sadan case.
