New Delhi/ Mumbai, Dec. 21: After keeping the BJP guessing most of the day about its participation in the NDA rally against corruption tomorrow, the Shiv Sena agreed to join it after L.K. Advani and Sushma Swaraj called the Thackerays.

Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said Advani and Sushma telephoned Uddhav Thackeray this evening to persuade the party not to abstain from the rally at New Delhi’s Ram Lila ground.

“A formal decision will be taken later in the night after senior leaders meet. But mostly we will send a representative to the rally,” Raut said.

In Delhi, BJP sources said Advani and Sushma had spoken to Bal Thackeray, who had threatened to stay away over signs the BJP was cosying up to his estranged nephew Raj Thackeray.

Earlier, BJP president Nitin Gadkari had tried to placate the senior Thackeray. “Our alliance with the Shiv Sena stands today. There is no proposal to have an alliance with MNS,” Gadkari said.

Raj had gone across to the state BJP office in Mumbai and spent about 20 minutes there yesterday in what was described as a courtesy call.

The meeting was initiated by BJP general secretary Vinod Tawade, a personal friend of the MNS chief, after state BJP chief Sudhir Mungantiwar, a Gadkari confidant, said he had never met Raj.

NDA convener and Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav confirmed that Gadkari had assured Thackeray no “deep meaning” should be read into Raj’s “casual” call.

Gadkari and Bal Thackeray have no love lost for each other, sources said, while the BJP chief is on good terms with Raj.