Lok Sabha Elections 2024: MNS chief Raj Thackeray declares 'unconditional support' for PM Modi, BJP

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Monday announced “unconditional support” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP for the Lok Sabha elections. Speaking at the Gudi Padwa rally from Shivaji Park in Mumbai, Thackeray also declared that the MNS will not run in the Lok Sabha elections but urged his followers to be ready for the later-in-the-year Maharashtra Assembly elections.

“I don’t want Rajya Sabha or Vidhan sabha, I told Fadnavis. I told them, I have no expectations and no conditions. My full support for Modi, BJP, NCP (Ajit Pawar), Sena (Eknath Shinde),” he said.

The MNS leader's meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah last month raised rumors that he would not join the Mahayuti, a coalition in Maharashtra consisting of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction led by Ajit Pawar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena.

"The chief minister of Maharashtra has been urging us to collaborate for the past fifteen months. Fadnavis made the same statement. I thus proceeded to see Amit Shah to find out more about the proposition. We discussed the distribution of seats. The last time I sat for negotiations was in 1995. I don’t have the temperament of negotiations,” he added.

However, Thackeray said that he would not compromise on his party symbol and would contest elections using party symbol.

CM Shinde thanked MNS president Raj Thackeray for his support to Mahayuti alliance. Reacting to the development, he said, “I welcome him wholeheartedly. PM Modi has supported Mahayuti. PM Modi has done development in the country and has taken the country forward… Raj Thackeray did not put any condition for his support. Our Shiv Sena is Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena. Our Shiv Sena is not Congress-sponsored Shiv Sena.'
 

• BJP
• Lok Sabha
• Lok Sabha Elections
• Lok Sabha Elections 2024
• Mumbai
• NDA
• PM Modi
• Raj Thackeray
• National Democratic Alliance
• MNS