Uddhav-Fadnavis accidental encounter in lift sparks speculation

Mumbai: An ‘accidental encounter’ between Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis inside an elevator at Vidhan Bhavan on Thursday sparked speculation of the two parties realigning.

A viral video shows the two leaders exchanging some words on the first day of the state legislature monsoon session.

Thackeray, however, dismissed the rumours, saying that it was “an informal chat”. “People must have thought of the song, ‘na na karte pyar tumhi se kar baithe’ (I fell in love with you despite denials). But no such thing will happen”.

Lifts don’t have ears so it is a good suggestion to have more such meetings in lifts, Thackeray added on a lighter note, while speaking to reporters.

Thackeray said nothing else was to be inferred from the lift encounter as it was an “unexpected meeting”.

BJP legislator Pravin Darekar, who was also in the lift said, “When the lift doors opened, Fadnavis walked towards the side of the ruling party offices and Uddhav ji walked to the opposition party offices. This means he has no intention of joining the ruling benches.” Senior BJP minister Chandrakant Patil also met Thackeray in the office of the Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Ambadas Danve.

Patil presented Thackeray with a bouquet and a milk chocolate. “You will give another chocolate to the people tomorrow,” Thackeray quipped, in an apparent reference to sops being part of the state budget to be tabled on Friday.

This is the last legislative session before the state assembly polls due in four months. There are reports that the Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP is planning to present a ‘please all’ budget’ ahead of the assembly polls.

There is speculation that after the debacle of the Mahayuti alliance in the recently held Lok Sabha polls, deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who also holds the finance portfolio, is set to table a populist budget.

Of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, the ruling alliance won 17, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi combine of Congress, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Shiv Sena (UBT) bagged 30.

Meanwhile, reacting to the Thackeray-Fadnavi lift ride, chief minister Eknath Shinde said: “The lift won’t go to the sixth floor.”

He was obviously referring to the sixth floor of the Mantralaya building which has the chief minister’s office.