For lessons from Modi,Raj to visit Gujarat

During his recent tour of Kalyan-Dombivali where his party won 27 seats in local body elections,Thackeray had hinted that he would visit states which have made progress and effectively tackled migration.

“He will definitely be going to Gujarat. He is touring the state at the moment. We are yet to confirm dates of the Gujarat visit. He will be staying for a couple of days and examining the development plan of the state,” said a MNS leader who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Thackeray has often prasied Modi’s administrative skills at rallies and press conferences. In 2009,before the Lok Sabha elections,Thackeray had said that Modi was a prime ministerial candidate. During a talk on “Maharashtra of my dreams” in the industrial township of Nigdi near Pune in 2009,Thackeray praised Modi’s efforts saying he had contributed to the development of Gujarat and said the country needed a man like him for the top executive job to ensure rapid progress.

Ahead of the trip,MNS leaders have been working on drafts of the main issues Thackeray should focus on during his visit,which they hope will boost the party’s programmes. In the past,a team of MNS workers from the party’s research unit in Pune had toured Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to study how these states conserve their regional language,a pet issue for MNS.

The trip is,however,expected to more than rouse the curiosity of the rival Shiv Sena,which is an ally of the BJP in Maharashtra and has also openly admired Modi. In January this year,Shiv Sena praised Modi for bringing his state’s “sinking ship” to shore with success. An editorial in the party mouthpiece,Saamna,had said that Modi had worked to secure large investments into Gujarat. Modi,on the other hand,had campaigned in Maharashtra in 2009 during the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections.