Mumbai, May 13 (PTI) Shiv Sena minister Uday Samant on Tuesday met Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray here days after there was talk of possible rapprochement between the MNS chief and his estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray.
The meeting also came ahead of pending civic elections in Mumbai and elsewhere in Maharashtra, but Samant said they did not discuss politics.
He was in Dadar area for official work and called on Raj Thackeray who lives in the same area, said Samant.
“No discussions took place (about alliance between MNS and Shiv Sena). There were no political discussions,” the minister maintained when asked by reporters.
Nearly two decades after a bitter parting of ways, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray sparked speculation about a possible reconciliation last month with statements such as they could ignore “trivial issues” and join forces.
While the MNS chief said uniting in the interests of native Marathi speakers was not difficult, former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said he was ready to put aside trivial fights, provided that `those working against Maharashtra’s interests’ were not entertained by Raj.
It was believed that he meant the BJP and Eknath Shinde who split the Shiv Sena in 2022 and took away the official name and poll symbol of the party. The BJP and Shinde-led Shiv Sena were seen as wooing the MNS for an alliance in the coming civic elections.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said the party responded positively to Raj’s overtures. “We are waiting for them to reciprocate our response. We respected public sentiments. Till now we were being accused that we did not want rapprochement.” PTI PR KRK
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