WON'T TIE-UP WITH THOSE WHO BREAK LAW, INTIMIDATE: CONG RULES OUT MNS TIE-UP

The Congress on Friday reiterated its political aversion to MNS for the upcoming civic body polls, saying the party will never tie up with those who break the law or intimidate, a reference to the “sons-of-the-soil” brand of politics of the Raj Thackeray-led party.

- TDG NETWORK

Hitting back, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Sandeep Deshpande said the Raj Thackeray-led party is an independent entity and not a member of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which includes Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP).

“Raj Thackeray makes decisions in our party. We have nothing to do with what anyone says,” he said.

The Congress recently announced that it would contest the elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) independently, apparently due to the growing proximity between Sena (UBT), led by Uddhav Thackeray, and his cousin Raj Thackeray's MNS.

The solo contest plan had prompted Sena (UBT) to ask Congress not to rush into any decision and emphasise the importance of the Opposition unity.