MNS alliance call in ‘2-3 days’ efforts on to convince Cong on united anti-BJP fight Sena UBT

    Mumbai, Dec 21 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab on Sunday said that the announcement on the alliance between his party and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena could be made “any moment”.
    According to his party colleague Sanjay Raut, it can happen in two to three days.
    Speaking to reporters, Parab said the people of Mumbai have always backed the Thackerays and expressed confidence that the tie-up will happen in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls.
    “Alliance could be announced anytime. Leaders of both parties -- Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS president Raj Thackeray -- will decide how the announcement of the alliance should be made,” Parab said.
    Earlier, speaking to reporters amid the counting of votes in the local body polls, Raut said that the Congress, an ally of his party in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, had “reservations” over the MNS.
    “This (the talks which took place on Sunday), we believe, is the last meeting. In two to three days, there will be an official announcement,” he said, referring to an alliance between Sena (UBT) and MNS for civic corporation elections.
    Polls to 29 corporations, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), will take place on January 15, while votes will be counted the next day. Efforts are on to take the Congress on board for the BMC elections, Raut said.
    “The Congress has expressed reservations over the Raj Thackeray-led MNS. We have been trying to convince the Congress that to defeat the BJP, it is necessary to come together,” Raut said.
    “There is no bad blood among us (with Congress) despite not having an alliance in Mumbai,” he added.
    Speaking here on Saturday, All India Congress Committee general secretary and Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala had said there was a strong demand from party workers to contest the BMC polls independently.
    “We will fight the polls on issues of common Mumbaikars like pollution, healthcare, and corruption. Mumbaikars should give us a chance to serve them well. The Congress is firm on contesting polls independently to protect the secular fabric of the metropolis,” Chennithala had said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)