Mumbai: The possibility of a reunion of Shiv Sena and MNS has the ruling Congress worried ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections.

On Monday, top leaders in the ruling Congress-NCP combine discussed the political fallout of the meeting between Sena chief Bal Thackeray and his estranged nephew Raj.

The ruling parties which worked meticulously to split the Sena to divide the Marathi vote bank fear that a handshake between Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray with cousin Raj may defeat their game plan.

"I don't believe Raj will go to his uncle's house to just return a couple of books. That was a political move," said Congress spokesperson Anant Gadgil.

Revenue minister Narayan Rane, who embarked on an ambitious mission to capture the sons of the soil turf using the Uddhav-Raj rift through his organisation Swabhiman, may now have to scout for new partnership.

A Rane supporter said: "The split within the Sena after Raj quit the parent organisation had left vacuum in several pockets. It is these Marathi dominated pockets with strong links in Konkan which we were trying to capture. If Uddhav and Raj work in tandem, the Congress may not stand to derive much gains."

There are 12 Lok Sabha seats (72 assembly segments) spread across Mumbai, Thane and the Konkan region which will see intense fighting within the Congress-NCP as well Sena-BJP. Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats and 288 Assembly seats.

The Sena is not averse to NCP marching ahead of Congress provided it has adequate space to grow in the assembly polls. On the other hand, the MNS does not want to serve the Congress interest without getting any political dividends.

Sources close to Raj said the MNS is likely to help Sena in the Lok Sabha and seek support from it in the Assembly polls next September.