MNS keeps its fingers crossed

MUMBAI: With the Shiv Sena-BJP seat-sharing talks still undecided, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray can hang on to hope for an alliance in the assembly elections.During the recent Lok Sabha elections, Thackeray had refrained from putting up candidates against the BJP. His gesture did not pay dividends as the BJP stayed with the Sena. This time, it remains to be seen what the BJP will do.MNS spokesperson Nitin Sardesai refrained from commenting on the stand his party will take. On Thursday, Thackeray will unveil his blueprint for Maharashtra and is expected to make clear his stance over supporting the BJP. The party is likely to announce its list of candidates either on Wednesday or Thursday.Thackeray has came up with a slogan for the party’s vision document scheduled to be released on September 25. He announced the campaign tagline, “Ho, hey shakya aahe (Yes, it is possible)”, one that sounds similar to US President Barack Obama’s famous “Yes we can” slogan. Thackeray’s campaign poster also reads: “Let us create a Maharashtra that the world will envy.”In another development, the Aam Aadmi Party announced it will not contest the assembly elections, but focus on creating voter awareness and research the backgrounds of candidates and identify those with criminal backgrounds or associated with scams or those who personal assets recorded dramatic growth. In a press release, it said it would launch a Jagrut Nagrik campaign for proactive participation of citizens in the polls and added that any AAP member contesting as an independent or through any other party will have her/his party membership rescinded.