'BJP Will Suffer If It Joins Hands With...': Warns RPI (A) Chief Ramdas Athawale

Union minister and RPI (A) chief Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said the BJP would suffer politically if it joins hands with Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. He said the MNS' politics was "regional" and the BJP would take a hit due to the former's aggressive stand against Hindi-speaking migrants in Maharashtra.

Thackeray had met former chief minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis recently, giving rise to speculation of a new alignment after the latter's old ally Shiv Sena hopped over to form an alliance with the Congress-NCP.

"The Republican Party of India (A) is firmly with the BJP and the party is getting Dalit support. Hence, the MNS support is not required as its politics is regional. Due to the aggressive stand taken by MNS against Hindi-speaking migrants, a national party like BJP will suffer," the Union minister for social justice and empowerment said.

Athawale said the BJP would suffer not only in Mumbai but across the country.

Thackeray had lavished praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier but was a trenchant critic of the NDA and its policies during the campaign for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls as well as the state Assembly elections.