BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde meets MNS President Raj Thackeray ahead of BMC polls

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary Vinod Tawde on Monday met Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.

The meeting took place at 'Shivtirth'- Thackeray's residence in Dadar's Shivaji Park area.

The Tawde-Thackeray meet has triggered speculation about a possible BJP-MNS alliance in the BMC elections. However, no official confirmation has been made in this regard

In July, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis met Raj Thackeray at the latter's residence after he underwent a hip replacement surgery.

The BMC elections are expected to take place later this year. The Mumbai civic body was ruled by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena before its term ended in March this year. The Sena has been in power in the BMC for more than 30 years.

BJP has been putting all its efforts to take control of the country's richest civic body. Earlier this month, Fadnavis had said that BJP would soon "burst the handi of corruption" in BMC.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started breaking the Handi of corruption. We will also burst the Handi of corruption in the BMC," Fadnavis said.

Last week, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) will perform a special audit into the functioning of the BMC.

"A special audit will be conducted by the CAG into the BMC’s functioning, including the quality of roads, allegation of scams in setting up of COVID-19 centres," he said.