Mumbai, May 2: After the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, Maharashtra will be heading towards the assembly elections. Before the state elections, there are reports that the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is considering taking Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) onboard, said Sharad Pawar-led Party sources to The Times of India. Assembly elections in the state will take place later this year. Raj Thackeray in List of Congress-NCP Star Campaigners For Lok Sabha Elections 2019 in Maharashtra.

In 2019 general elections, MNS was not the part of Congress-NCP grand alliance. The Sharad Pawar's party was keen on an alliance with MNS, but the INC reportedly feared a backlash due to Raj Thackeray's anti-North Indian stand. Meanwhile, the MNS is not contesting the general polls. Raj Thackeray Hits out at Modi, Shah at Poll Rally.

"The MNS put up a good show in the 2009 polls. That indicates the strength it had in certain Assembly segments in Mumbai, Thane, Pune and Nashik," the Times of India source said.

In 2009 Maharashtra Assembly Elections, the MNS won 13 seats and is believed to be eaten into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena's vote share. But the party's performance in 2014 came down as it only managed to secure only one seat.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 03, 2019 12:04 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).