Sitting on a plastic chair outside the Jam Mill compound at Lalbaug, local Shiv Sena MLA Ajay Choudhari wiped the sweat from his brow. This is despite Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray using the "chowkidar hi chor hai" jibe to attack Modi before the two parties made up. This is expedient for the Sena as it is up against an X-factor: the rival Raj Thackeray led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), which has launched a surrogate campaign for the Congress-NCP. Shiv Sainiks grudgingly admit some Marathi voters may be swayed by Raj's pitch, though many MNS supporters may not vote for the Congress. "Why did the Shiv Sena ally with the BJP after criticising it for five years and claiming it would go solo?

Source: dna April 30, 2019 01:07 UTC