Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and leaders from the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) Shiv Sena in two separate meetings on Monday.
The first meeting took place at Raj Thackeray’s residence, ‘Shivtirth,’ in Dadar, marking the first interaction between the two leaders since the assembly elections.
This development is particularly significant as Raj Thackeray had recently launched a sharp attack on the BJP, questioning the legitimacy of the election process and raising doubts about its credibility. The meeting, therefore, has fuelled rumours about a possible understanding between the two parties.
Adding to the political chatter, UBT Sena leader Sanjay Raut took a swipe at the meeting, remarking, “A new cafe has been opened at Dadar where everyone visits for a coffee with a pleasant view.” In response, MNS leader Sandip Deshpande hit back, questioning whether Raut visits Sharad Pawar to clean his bungalow.
Later in the day, Fadnavis hosted senior UBT Sena leaders, including Subhash Desai, Ambadas Danve, and Milind Narvekar, at his official residence, Sagar Bungalow.
The discussions reportedly revolved around the technical details of the late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray’s memorial at Dadar, which is nearing completion. While the meeting was said to be focused on non-political matters, its timing raised eyebrows, especially with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s absence from key meetings, sparking speculation about internal rifts.
However, Pratap Sarnaik, a cabinet minister from the Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction, dismissed the rumours, insisting that such meetings between political opponents are a long-standing tradition in Maharashtra, despite ideological differences.
Fadnavis, too, played down the speculation, stating that his meeting with Raj Thackeray was merely a friendly visit with no political discussions involved.