Pawar meets Uddhav Thackeray day after Fadnavis-Sanjay Raut meeting

Sanjay Raut’s meeting with Fadnavis had sparked speculation in political circles

[File] Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray [File] Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Sunday met Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at the latter’s residence in Mumbai. The meeting assumes significance as it came a day after senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut met former chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, sparking speculation in political circles.

According to reports, the Pawar-Thackeray meeting lasted for around an hour and the NCP chief left Varsha bungalow without speaking to media.

Earlier, after his meeting with Raut raised a few eyebrows, Fadnavis clarified that the BJP doesn’t have any intention of joining hands with the Sena in the state.

He said the meeting with the Sena MP was regarding an interview for their party's mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

The Sena snapped ties with the BJP last year after the Maharashtra Assembly polls over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party then joined hands with the NCP and the Congress to form Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state. 

"We have no intention of joining hands with the Shiv Sena or to bring down the government. When it falls on its own, we will see," said Fadnavis, who is the leader of opposition in the state Assembly.

Raut, who also spoke to reporters here separately, said he and Fadnavis are not enemies and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was aware of the meeting which was pre-planned to discuss the interview schedule.

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