The first day of the Maharashtra Assembly’s monsoon session witnessed an unexpected and intriguing encounter between former Chief Ministers Uddhav Thackeray and Devendra Fadnavis as the arch-rivals shared an elevator.
The brief yet charged interaction between the two seasoned political figures has set tongues wagging, with many speculating about the nature of their conversation.
While the specifics of what was discussed remain unknown, the palpable tension and cold body language captured in a viral video suggest that the exchange was more than just casual small talk.
Addressing the media later, Thackeray, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, struck a lighthearted tone, joking that from now on, all their “secret meetings” would be held in the elevator. He also subtly referenced the classic Bollywood song “Na Na Karte Pyar,” quipping that onlookers must have thought the two leaders were rekindling their political “romance.”
However, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who had aligned with the BJP to topple Thackeray’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, offered a different perspective. Shinde claimed that while Thackeray and his team opted for a “different lift” two years ago, the current regime has chosen to ride the one that “carried us to the people.”
The chance encounter came against the backdrop of a deeply divided political landscape in Maharashtra, marked by the splits between the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) over the past two years.
As the state gears up for the upcoming assembly elections, the Thackeray-Fadnavis meeting has added an intriguing layer to the political dynamics, with observers closely watching for potential realignments or tactical maneuvers.
The last assembly session before the polls will likely be a fiercely contested affair, with the MVA and the BJP-led alliance vying for the upper hand. The general election results, where the MVA emerged victorious in 30 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats, have only intensified the stakes for the upcoming state-level showdown.
