Maharashtra buzzes again: Why did Devendra Fadnavis meet Raj Thackeray, Sena (UBT) leaders?

Fadnavis’s overtures are besides being work successful the discourse of the coming elections to the BMC, which is the last frontier for the BJP to found itself arsenic the preeminent enactment successful Maharashtra. As agelong arsenic the Sena was united, the cash-rich Mumbai municipal corp was its bastion. Already, parties successful some the Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi coalitions person indicated that they whitethorn contention the civic elections separately.

Sources adjacent to Fadnavis said that it was a subtle connection by the CM to state Shinde to autumn successful line, by mode of suggesting that determination were options earlier the BJP.

While some Fadnavis and Raj Thackeray insisted their meeting was a “courtesy call”, with the BJP person saying helium had promised the sojourn erstwhile the MNS main congratulated him pursuing the Assembly canvass win, it’s not each time that the CM goes calling connected a leader.

Plus, though Fadnavis said that Raj Thackeray had congratulated him implicit the Assembly win, successful a nationalist statement, the MNS main had questioned the credibility of the BJP’s landslide win. “There was disbelief erstwhile the results came out. Even an RSS person I cognize remarked connected this,” helium said.

The MNS has not overmuch lasting near arsenic a enactment connected its own, being connected a dependable diminution since its enactment successful 2005. It did not contention the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, successful which it had an knowing with the BJP, and successful the caller Assembly elections, Raj Thackeray’s lad Amit mislaid from Mahim successful his canvass debut.

However, the MNS main continues to person idiosyncratic appeal, particularly successful the Mumbai area, going backmost to his days with the agreed Shiv Sena. This makes him invaluable for the BJP for the BMC polls.

The MNS, for its part, has an axe to grind with the Shinde Sena, arsenic it believes that the refusal of Shinde Sena campaigner Sada Sarvankar to propulsion retired of the Mahim contention caused Amit Thackeray’s defeat, allowing the Sena (UBT)’s Mahesh Sawant to gaffe past and win.

Sources said that the Mahim predetermination figured successful the talks betwixt Fadnavis and Raj Thackeray, and that the BJP whitethorn connection Amit Thackeray a Legislative Council spot to seal a tactical knowing for the BMC polls.

As for Fadnavis’s gathering with Sena (UBT) leaders Milind Narwekar, erstwhile curate Subash Desai, and Leader of the Opposition successful the Legislative Council Ambadas Danve, it was officially related to a memorial for the precocious Bal Thackeray. However, the timing had radical searching for reasons arsenic the gathering astatine Fadnavis’s residence came hours aft a missive from Industries Minister and Shinde Sena person Uday Samant instructing officials successful his section to not instrumentality decisions without his cognition became public.

It was seen arsenic different manoeuvre successful the crippled of one-upmanship betwixt the BJP and Shinde Sena since the enactment of the Mahayuti government. Starting with his long-drawn absorption earlier conceding the CM station to Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde has made his displeasure evident implicit respective issues.

A Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojna, offering escaped trips to pilgrimage sites to the elderly, announced by Shinde erstwhile helium was CM, appears to person been halted. Another strategy started successful that time, Anandacha Siddha, for organisation of market items astatine cheaper rates during festivals, whitethorn person been enactment connected the backburner.

While Shinde has maintained a studied silence, helium has missed Cabinet meetings doubly successful the past fortnight and skipped the pre-Budget discussions Monday.

On Tuesday, Shinde was inducted into the State Disaster Management Committee, days aft helium was controversially kept retired of the sheet successful which Ajit Pawar on with different halfway ministers representing portfolios specified arsenic Revenue and Health recovered a place.

Transport Minister and Shiv Sena person Pratap Sarnaik, who was himself precocious overridden by Fadnavis successful the assignment of the Transport Secretary, said the enactment was not disturbed by Fadnavis’s meetings. “What is incorrect if leaders from ideologically antithetic parties meet? It is simply a contented successful Maharashtra,” helium said.