Fadnavis meets Modi-baiter Raj Thackeray in Mumbai amid tie-up speculation

Mumbai, Jan 07: Former Maharashtra chief minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis met with MNS chief Raj Thackeray in Prabhadevi area on Tuesday.

The meeting between the two leaders lasted for nearly two hours, sources said.

However, what transpired during the meeting could not be known immediately.

The meeting assumes significance against the backdrop of the MNS chief running a campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, triggering speculations that he was getting close to the NCP leadership.

Raj Thackeray, who portrays his party as the only saviour of Marathi interests, is the estranged cousin of Shiv Sena president and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

The MNS, which is battling for political survival in the state, currently has only one MLA in the state Legislative Assembly.

Raj Thackeray is expected to hold a public rally on January 23, where he might announce a key decision, an MNS official said.