Uddhav meets CM Fadnavis, sparks speculation about ‘new beginning’

NAGPUR: In a significant political development, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray met Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in Nagpur on Tuesday, marking their first encounter since the Shiv Sena split two and a half years ago.

The meeting, which took place in the Vidhan Bhavan complex where the winter session of the state legislature is on, lasted for only about 10 minutes, but observers feel this could be a new beginning for the two political friends-turned-foes.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) has 20 MLAs, the highest among the Opposition parties, and is seeking the post of Leader of the Opposition (LoP) despite not having the required 10 per cent of the house’s elected members of 288 to officially get the post.

Speculation is rife that the LoP post was the motive behind Thackeray’s surprise meeting but it is also felt that the poll drubbing and apparent cracks in the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi could well bring the Thackerays closer to Fadnavis.

“I congratulated Fadnavis for the Mahayuti victory and becoming CM and gave him my best wishes for taking Maharashtra forward under his leadership,” Thackeray was quoted as saying in the media. “There is a rich tradition in Maharashtra for healthy dialogue between ruling and opposition party leaders.” Thackeray later separately met assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar, who had ruled against the Sena (UBT) in the disqualification petitions between the two warring Sena factions.

Aaditya Thackeray, who had accompanied his father, however denied discussing the LoP issue with Fadnavis. “This is a step forward,” he said. “Both factions should show political maturity to work together for the country and Maharashtra.”

Earlier, talking to media persons, Thackeray had called for moving beyond debates on historical figures and focusing on pressing developmental issues. “The BJP and Congress must stop wasting time discussing Nehru and Savarkar,” he said. “Both leaders made their contribution to history. What we need today is a focus on development—addressing farmers’ issues, improving infrastructure, tackling unemployment, and driving economic growth.” Aaditya had also said much the same thing last week.

Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced two bills aimed at facilitating simultaneous elections on Tuesday, which were passed by a majority vote. However, the Opposition has strongly criticised these draft laws, calling them an attack on India’s constitutional structure. Answering a question during the media session, Thackeray echoed these sentiments.

“Before implementing such a bill, the electoral process must be cleansed and made transparent,” he said. “The ‘One Nation, One Election’ initiative is an attempt to distract people from real issues, like those involving Adani.”

Thackeray also suggested that the Chief Election Commissioner be chosen through an electoral process rather than direct government appointment to guarantee greater transparency and independence in India’s electoral framework. He also reiterated his concerns about electronic voting machines, advocating a return to ballot papers to restore trust in the electoral process. “If ballot voting yields the same results as EVMs, why is there a reluctance to return to ballots?” he questioned, hinting at a larger issue of voter confidence in the system.

Turning his attention to farmers, Thackeray highlighted the government’s failure to deliver on promises, including fair crop prices for soybeans and cotton. “Farmers are angry because they have been repeatedly let down,” he said, adding that unresolved issues in the agricultural sector were fuelling widespread discontent.

Thackeray accused the government of prioritising urban projects at the expense of rural welfare. He specifically called out the proposed cutting of 1,400 trees for the metro car shed project in Mumbai and questioned whether the government considered expert opinions or acted solely to further its own interests.

The Sena (UBT) chief also took several digs at the Mahayuti government. He asked it to honour its pre-election promise of upping the ₹1,500 dole to women under the Ladki Bahin Yojana. “Without changing the criteria, ₹2,100 should be immediately given to the beneficiaries,” he said. “There should be no favouritism while giving money.”

Turning to the scramble for power among Mahayuti MLAs, he said: “Despite the mammoth majority, the swearing-in ceremony was delayed. There is no portfolio allocation yet. Then what is this session, a joke?” Thackeray then said, straight-faced, that he felt sorry for Chhagan Bhujbal and many others “who went there” (defected) but did not get a ministerial berth. “It will remain like that now,” he said. “I sympathise with all of them.”