Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Wednesday met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and invited her to attend an anti-EVM rally in Mumbai on August 21.
Thackeray said he was impressed by Mamata's mammoth rally in Kolkata on July 21 where she also demanded the replacement of EVMs by ballot papers.
“So our purposes match. I have invited her to attend our grand meeting in Mumbai. I have also told her that I met Sonia (Gandhi) ji,” Thackeray said.
The TMC supremo, however, said she would not be able to participate in the rally because of some pre-scheduled engagements. However, the party might send a representative to attend the rally.
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Many believe that Mamata's decision comes on the backdrop of the snub she had received from Raj's cousin Uddhav Thackeray last year. Mamata had travelled to Mumbai to meet the Shiv Sena chief, when the later's relationship with the BJP worsened. But the Sena refused to get closer to the TMC chief. Mamata's move to get closer to a party with questionable secular credibility, however, drew flak from the left parties and the Congress.
Mamata appears to be very cautious this time as the MNS is also on the other side of the political spectrum where she does not belong to. Sources said she would wait and see who all would attend the rally.
Neither Sonia nor Rahul has confirmed whether they would attend the rally. The Gandhis are likely to consult with Sharad Pawar in this regard and they would also consider the view of the state leadership in Maharashtra. As of now, Pawar is unlikely to attend the rally.
Chances are low that the Congress high command would be represented. With the absence of the left parties as well, it is still not clear whether Thackeray's bid to string together an alliance would gain ground.
Meanwhile, when asked about the Mamata-Thackeray meeting, BJP national vice president and former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, who was in Kolkata on Wednesday, said, “what can I say about two flop leaders?”
