BJP-UBT reunion? Uddhav Thackeray meets Devendra Fadnavis day after CM's 'invite'; leaders hold 20-minute meeting
NEW DELHI: A day after
Devendra Fadnavis
, in a light-hearted comment, invited
Uddhav Thackeray
to "come to the ruling side," the Shiv Sena UBT chief met the Maharashtra chief minister on Thursday.
According to the ANI, the meeting between Fadnavis and Thackeray took place in the office of Legislative Council Chairman Ram Shinde.
Their meeting lasted about 20 minutes.
— ANI (@ANI)
On Wednesday, Fadnavis said that Thackeray "can come to the ruling side in a different way." While addressing the Maharashtra assembly, the CM said that till 2029, there is no scope for the BJP to come to the opposition side.
"At least till 2029, there is no scope for us to come there (opposition). Uddhav Ji can think about the scope of coming to this side (ruling party) and that can be thought about in a different way, but there is absolutely no scope left for us to come there (opposition)," Fadnavis said.
The Shiv Sena and BJP's alliance bloomed till 2014. But, their 25-year partnership hit a rough patch during the 2014 Maharashtra Assembly elections due to a seat-sharing dispute. And finally in 2019, after winning the election, Uddhav ditched BJP and joined hands with Congress.
However, Fadnavis had his revenge two and a half years later when
Eknath Shinde
revolted against Uddhav and split the Shiv Sena. Since then, Fadnavis has been with the Shinde Sena.
Eknath Shinde, who served as chief minister for over two years after the 2022 coup, was reluctant to hand over the reins back to Fadnavis in 2024 after their alliance got an overwhelming mandate from the people of the state.
Fadnavis's statement came at a time when Uddhav Thackeray has intensified his attacks on the BJP and the Shinde-led government over the three-language policy, and when speculation about a patch-up between the estranged Thackeray cousins is gaining traction.
Speculation has been mounting over the possible collaboration between UBT and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), especially after July 5, when Raj and Uddhav Thackeray shared a stage for the first time in two decades.
T
he rare show of unity came during a joint celebration of the Maharashtra government's decision to reverse two controversial orders mandating Hindi as a third language from Class 1 in state schools.
Back in April, Raj Thackeray had already fuelled talk of a possible thaw, calling their past disagreements 'trivial' and stressing that uniting for the cause of the Marathi manoos shouldn't be difficult. Uddhav Thackeray echoed a similar tone shortly after, saying he was open to reconciliation—so long as it didn't include those acting against Maharashtra's interests.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
43 minutes ago
- Time of India
Donald Trump's outburst may help government counter charge of 'surrender'
NEW DELHI: From being charged with surrendering to Donald Trump and suspending Operation Sindoor, to being attacked by the US President for not towing his line on the trade deal, events have moved fast for the Narendra Modi govt over the last 48 hours or so. The US President's unsubstantiated claim that he coerced India into agreeing to cease its offensive against Pakistan embarrassed the Modi govt and gave its opponents a stick to beat it with. Both PM Narendra Modi's statement that "no world leader" (read Trump) nor the external affair minister's assertion that Trump and Modi did not talk during Operation Sindoor were rejected. But Trump's outbursts against India may serve to reinforce govt's refutation. India is missing among the countries which have acquiesced to his demands for tariff concessions to make - as the US President said on Truth Social, his megaphone - "the US extremely happy". While this extractive mercantilist stance is sure to create complications for India, it also presents the Modi govt an opportunity to rebut the "surrender" charge. The regime, which claims to know how to turn challenges into opportunities, seems to have already made the first moves. On Thursday, commerce minister Piyush Goyal, while using a restrained tone, made it clear that India is not going to compromise on the interests of farmers, dairy sector and micro and small enterprises, referring to the red lines which, sources said, India had drawn during the negotiations and has refused to move from. The line is going to be sharpened if the stalemate drags on. The "not-at-the-cost-of national interest" bottom line publicly sketched by the Modi govt over the last 24 hours will require it to hold on to it; even at the cost of a US President who is not used to taking a "no" in stride. A "non compromising" stand will also play well with the larger Sangh Parivar; especially risky affiliates like Bhartiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) as well as small traders and entrepreneurs. For BKS, it will be an opportunity to rebut the criticism that farmers' interest are not the priority for BJP. Modi govt enjoys the support of large sections of peasantry; thanks to stipends under Kisan Samman Nidhi and schemes like farm insurance which, after initial hiccups, are giving results. But it has had to contend with challenges like allegations that were hurled when it tried to change the land acquisition law and bring in farm sector reforms. Unlike BJP, SJM has always been suspicious of the US and always viewed engagements through the prism of wariness. A confrontation with the US can also come handily to reassure the party's constituency among small and medium entrepreneurs.
The Hindu
44 minutes ago
- The Hindu
AAP dares Delhi govt. to release desilting audit report
The political face-off between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP over the issue of waterlogging in the Capital continued on Thursday. AAP asked the ruling party whether it had conducted the High Court-mandated third-party audit of desilting of stormwater drains. In response, the BJP said it is 'undoing the corruption that AAP had done in the name of desilting drains'. In a post on X, AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj wrote, 'On April 8, 2024, the Delhi High Court had ordered that all desilting works carried out by the Public Works Department or the Municipal Corporation of Delhi must be independently audited.' Mr. Bharadwaj said he had written to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta asking her to make public the audit report, if conducted. He also requested an Anti-Corruption Branch probe into why the audits were not carried out last year when AAP was in power. 'Despite repeated written requests from my end, the then Chief Secretary did not conduct a third-party audit of desilting works,' Mr. Bharadwaj said. 'If the BJP government does not order an ACB investigation, it will be a clear indication that the BJP is actively trying to shield corruption and is fully complicit in it,' he said. Hitting back, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva alleged that over the past 10 years, the Delhi Jal Board and the PWD under the AAP government had turned into 'centres of loot'. He added that under AAP, desilting became a 'lucrative source of corruption', which led a local citizen group to file a petition in the High Court in 2018. 'When in 2024, the court finally ordered a desilting audit, Bharadwaj used it as a tool to shift the blame onto the officials,' Mr. Sachdeva said, adding that the AAP Delhi president should explain why desilting was not properly between 2015 and 2018.
The Hindu
44 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Durga Puja organisers will get honorarium of ₹1.10 lakh: Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that the Durga Puja communities this year will receive an honorarium of ₹1.10 lakh, a hike of almost 30% from last year's ₹85,000. The announcement made ahead of the West Bengal Assembly polls received criticism from the Opposition parties, who described the honorarium hike as a 'bribe'. Stating that there are about 45,000 Durga Puja clubs, Ms. Banerjee said that the honorarium is going to cost ₹495 crore to the State exchequer. The CM also urged electricity supply companies to give an 80% rebate to the clubs. 'Last year the sum was ₹85,000, this year how much you want?' asked Ms. Banerjee while addressing a gathering in Kolkata's Netaji Indoor Stadium. 'Let us fix it as ₹1.10 lakh this year,' she added. Highlighting the significance of the festival to the people of the State, the Chief Minister urged the organisers to focus on crowd management, and she advised the clubs not to compete with each other to draw large crowds. The clubs should engage more volunteers and have separate entry and exits at Durga Puja pandals, Ms. Banerjee said. The festival will be held in the last week of September, and the Durga Puja Carnival will be held on October 5. Ms. Banerjee urged the Durga Puja organisers to help the migrant workers who have returned to the State after facing harassment in BJP-ruled states. 'I request the committees to help migrant workers, who are returning to Bengal after facing torture in BJP-ruled states.' LoP hits out Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, said that the CM can even pay ₹2 lakh to Durga Puja, but before that, she should pay the Dearness Allowance (DA) to employees. 'She should increase the salary of ICDS, Anganwadi workers, civic police volunteers and other contractual staff,' Mr. Adhikari said. The LoP also predicted that before the Assembly polls, Ms. Banerjee would hike the honorarium given to imams and muezzins by ₹500. The honorarium to Durga Puja clubs has on several occasions been challenged before the Calcutta High Court, and the State government has argued that the funds deemed to be used for increase in awareness on several issues. The Mamata Banerjee government had introduced an honorarium to committees organising Durga Puja in 2018, promising a sum of ₹10,000 to each club. In seven years the grant has increased by 11 times.
