In a surprising political development, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday made an "offer" to Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray to consider joining hands with the ruling NDA alliance. While addressing the Legislative Council, Fadnavis made a light-hearted yet pointed remark, saying, "Uddhav ji, there is no scope for us to sit in the Opposition until 2029. But if you wish to come here (to the ruling side), it can be considered -- although such a decision will need to be taken in a unique way."
Fadnavis made the statement while speaking about the outgoing Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve, who belongs to Uddhav's Shiv Sena faction. The Chief Minister praised Danve's core ideology, saying, "Wherever Ambadas Danve may be -- whether in the ruling party or the opposition -- his true beliefs are rooted in Hindutva."
Political dynamics ahead of BMC polls
The direct offer by Fadnavis in the Assembly, following a recent meeting between him and Uddhav Thackeray, is being viewed as a significant political overture in Maharashtra's evolving political landscape. The statement comes just months ahead of the critical Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Currently, the BMC remains under the control of the Uddhav-led Shiv Sena (UBT), though in the previous elections, the BJP and Shiv Sena had nearly equal seat tallies.
Meanwhile, Uddhav Thackeray recently joined hands with his estranged cousin, Raj Thackeray, chief of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), to jointly oppose the state government's move to make Hindi a mandatory language in Maharashtra schools. The show of unity came after nearly two decades of political rivalry between the two. However, despite the public appearance, ideological differences persist. The Shiv Sena remains uncomfortable with MNS’s aggressive stance against North Indian communities, casting doubts on any lasting political alliance between the two parties.
Raj Thackeray denies alliance talk
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Wednesday denied making any remarks on forging an alliance with the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray, and claimed that the words that he did not utter were wrongly attributed to him in a section of media. In a post on X, Thackeray said if he wants to make any political statement, he will do so by holding a press conference. He said the party organised a conclave for selected office-bearers at Igatpuri in Nashik on July 14 and 15, where he held an informal interaction with journalists.
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