The BJP has denied that party leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and chief of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Raj Thackeray had held a close-door meeting on Tuesday at Amravati, Vidarbha.

There were indicative reports on Tuesday that the two leaders had met for a post-poll alliance.

However, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar told media persons on Wednesday that though Thackeray and Gadkari were present at the same hotel in Amravati, they did not meet each other or hold any secret negotiations. Both were there to campaign for their respective parties, he added.

He said that similarly, the party was not in any talks with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). “A perception is being created by some people that there is a tacit alliance between the BJP and NCP. We clearly denounce these kinds of rumours” he said.

“The BJP has been at the forefront of exposing the corruption of the NCP. It has raised its voice against NCP goondaism. There are no talks with the NCP about any kind of a post poll alliance,” he added.

Javadekar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold rallies in Kolhapur, Beed and Mumbai. More locations are being finalised, and will be made public soon.

The Minister said the election campaign would feature the extensive use of different platforms such as folk theatre, video vans and text messages.

Messages would be sent to three crore users in the State, and social media messages would be sent in Marathi.

People want change in Maharashtra and they will vote BJP to power, he said.