MNS Leader Joins BJP, Attacks Shiv Sena (UBT)

Mumbai: In a major blow to Raj Thackeray, former corporator Santosh Dhuri quit MNS and joined the BJP on Tuesday. He alleged that the MNS chief has completely surrendered to Uddhav Thackeray and this has harmed the party and his loyalists.

Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam invited Dhuri to the party. Reports of Dhuri joining the saffron party gained momentum after he met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday night.

After joining the BJP, Dhuri launched a scathing attack on both Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray. He alleged that Raj Thackeray ignored his loyalists and handed over the wards to Shiv Sena (UBT) in seat sharing for Mumbai local elections. MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) have formed an alliance for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections on January 15.

“Only 52 seats seem to be allotted to MNS in Mumbai, but even among these there is no guarantee that seven or eight candidates will be elected. Shiv Sena (UBT) did not give MNS the seats it wanted. Instead, MNS was offered seats where Sena UBT had no candidates or where its current corporate image had already been tarnished,” Dhuri said.

He also claimed that in the seat-sharing talks between Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS in Mumbai, it was decided that two seats in each assembly constituency would be given to MNS. “We wanted seats in Marathi-speaking areas like Dadar, Mahim, Worli, Shivdi and Bhandup but were ignored,” he added.

Dhuri was a strong contender on MNS ticket from ward 194 in Mahim assembly constituency, but in seat sharing, the seat was given to Shiv Sena (UBT).