Mumbai: An accidental encounter between Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray in a lift at the Vidhan Bhawan complex on Thursday sent shockwaves through the state's political circles, but both sides quickly They tried to downplay the importance of the meeting.
On the first day of the monsoon session of the state legislature, BJP leader Fadnavis and former CM Thackeray, political friends turned enemies, found themselves waiting together for the lift at the Vidhan Bhawan premises in south Mumbai.
A viral video shows the two leaders exchanging a few words. When later asked about the conversation, Thackeray, an MLC, said, “People must have thought of the song, 'na na karte pyar tumhi se kar baithe' (I fell in love with you despite denials). But none of that will happen."
Elevators have no ears, so it would be a good idea to hold more such meetings in elevators, the former CM added in a more relaxed tone while speaking to reporters.
Thackeray, a former ally of the BJP and a staunch critic of the national party, said nothing more could be inferred from the lift meeting as it was an "unexpected meeting".
BJP legislator Pravin Darekar, who was also in the lift, said, “When the lift doors opened, Fadnavis walked towards the ruling party office side and Uddhav ji walked towards the opposition party office. This means he (Uddhav) has no intention of joining the ruling courts.”
Darekar said Maharashtra has a rich political legacy of opposition leaders maintaining respectful and cordial relations.
State Forest Minister and BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar tried to play down the casual meeting and refused to attribute any political significance to it.
He made it clear that there is no scope for any reconciliation between the BJP, an ally of the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and the opposition party led by Thackeray.
"The unplanned meeting between the two leaders has no political significance. Following discussions in my party's central committee, it is clear that a political alliance between the two (BJP-Sena UBT) is highly unlikely," Mungantiwar said.
"Our core team is in complete agreement regarding the decision not to form an alliance with Uddhav Thackeray," the minister stressed.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat said the meeting between Thackeray and Fadnavis showed that there may be political differences but not animosity.
Talking to reporters on the Vidhan Bhavan premises, Shirsat, an MLA, said fights can be political but personal ties should not be broken.
"You can understand the significance of this (meeting) that we do not have personal quarrels. Uddhav saheb must have realized that people like Sanjay Raut (Sena MP UBT) are misleading him. There should be differences but not animosity. This is a example of this," Shirsat stressed.
The ruling party MLA said Maharashtra's long political tradition has been to maintain cordial relations despite differences.
Shirsat claimed that Thackeray was unlikely to be the CM face of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the upcoming assembly elections.
BJP Chief Minister Chandrakant Patil also met Thackeray at the office of Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve.
Patil gifted Thackeray a bouquet and a milk chocolate. “Tomorrow you will give people another chocolate,” Thackeray joked, in apparent reference to sops being part of the state budget to be presented on Friday.
This is the last legislative session before the state assembly elections scheduled in four months. There are reports that the ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP, is planning to present a budget "to please everyone" before the elections.
It is speculated that after the defeat of the Mahayuti alliance in the recent Lok Sabha polls, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who holds the finance portfolio, is set to present a populist budget.
Of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, the ruling alliance won 17, while the opposition MVA combine of Congress, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Shiv Sena (UBT) bagged 30.
On the first day of the monsoon session of the state legislature, BJP leader Fadnavis and former CM Thackeray, political friends turned enemies, found themselves waiting together for the lift at the Vidhan Bhawan premises in south Mumbai.
A viral video shows the two leaders exchanging a few words. When later asked about the conversation, Thackeray, an MLC, said, “People must have thought of the song, 'na na karte pyar tumhi se kar baithe' (I fell in love with you despite denials). But none of that will happen."
Elevators have no ears, so it would be a good idea to hold more such meetings in elevators, the former CM added in a more relaxed tone while speaking to reporters.
Thackeray, a former ally of the BJP and a staunch critic of the national party, said nothing more could be inferred from the lift meeting as it was an "unexpected meeting".
BJP legislator Pravin Darekar, who was also in the lift, said, “When the lift doors opened, Fadnavis walked towards the ruling party office side and Uddhav ji walked towards the opposition party office. This means he (Uddhav) has no intention of joining the ruling courts.”
Darekar said Maharashtra has a rich political legacy of opposition leaders maintaining respectful and cordial relations.
State Forest Minister and BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar tried to play down the casual meeting and refused to attribute any political significance to it.
He made it clear that there is no scope for any reconciliation between the BJP, an ally of the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and the opposition party led by Thackeray.
"The unplanned meeting between the two leaders has no political significance. Following discussions in my party's central committee, it is clear that a political alliance between the two (BJP-Sena UBT) is highly unlikely," Mungantiwar said.
"Our core team is in complete agreement regarding the decision not to form an alliance with Uddhav Thackeray," the minister stressed.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat said the meeting between Thackeray and Fadnavis showed that there may be political differences but not animosity.
Talking to reporters on the Vidhan Bhavan premises, Shirsat, an MLA, said fights can be political but personal ties should not be broken.
"You can understand the significance of this (meeting) that we do not have personal quarrels. Uddhav saheb must have realized that people like Sanjay Raut (Sena MP UBT) are misleading him. There should be differences but not animosity. This is a example of this," Shirsat stressed.
The ruling party MLA said Maharashtra's long political tradition has been to maintain cordial relations despite differences.
Shirsat claimed that Thackeray was unlikely to be the CM face of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the upcoming assembly elections.
BJP Chief Minister Chandrakant Patil also met Thackeray at the office of Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve.
Patil gifted Thackeray a bouquet and a milk chocolate. “Tomorrow you will give people another chocolate,” Thackeray joked, in apparent reference to sops being part of the state budget to be presented on Friday.
This is the last legislative session before the state assembly elections scheduled in four months. There are reports that the ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP, is planning to present a budget "to please everyone" before the elections.
It is speculated that after the defeat of the Mahayuti alliance in the recent Lok Sabha polls, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who holds the finance portfolio, is set to present a populist budget.
Of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, the ruling alliance won 17, while the opposition MVA combine of Congress, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Shiv Sena (UBT) bagged 30.
