AMIT Shah & Uddhav Thackeray Meet Positive: Shiv Sena

BREAKING  speculation on the outcome of the prolonged meet between BJP’s National President Amit Shah and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray at the latter’s Bandra residence in Mumbai on Wednesday, Sena sources say the interaction is positive. Seat sharing formula for the 2019 Lok Sabha poll was discussed. Though neither addressed the waiting  media persons after the crucial meeting and no official statement was released, BJP sources said their party chief had succeeded in bringing  the two parties  closer following bad blood between them .Sources  close to Matoshree say the Mumbai headquartered saffron outfit claiming to be the sole and genuine custodian of the traditions and cultural heritage of  Maratha Manus   will agree to do tango after BJP ,its oldest ally ,recognizes  the Shiv Sena as the regional  strap. The two parties are sharing power in the State Government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, stated to be the riches municipal body in the Indian subcontinent .It is also part of the NDA government at the Centre. Shah walked into Thackeray residence Matoshree with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Thackeray asked the CM to sit out the meeting. The meeting took place on the second floor. Fadnavis was seated on the ground floor of the house. The Sena Chief had intimated Amit Shah in the morning that Uddhav would meet only him. This is the first meeting at Matoshree after Shah’s visit last year when he had come around to patch-up cracks in the alliance over support for the presidential nominee. Fadnavis was a part of the meeting then. The meeting was held in two phases lasting over two hours. After Amit Shah and Uddhav had a one-on-one talk in the first phase,, CM Devendra Fadnavis and Aditya Thackeray his son  heading Sena’s youth wing, joined them for negotiations. Sources said Shiv Sena, which never hesitates to critique BJP, is of the view that after a series of by-poll reverses; BJP has been forced to try for inking truce with it.  Ties between Thackeray and Fadnavis have been further strained after the recent Palghar Lok Sabha by- polls. The ego problem between Uddhav and Fadnavis is stated to be the main cause for worsening relations between the parties. BJP’s efforts to consolidate its foothold in Mumbai have made Sena apprehensive about its political existence .It had announced to go solo for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Shiv Sena cannot afford to play second fiddle to the BJP in Mumbai, India’s financial capital housing several corporate houses and financial institutions besides headquarters of two zonal Railways.
The two allies had contested the May 28 by polls to Palghar Lok Sabha constituency of Maharashtra separately and engaged in a bitter campaign against each other. “The prime minister is touring the world and BJP chief Amit Shah is going around the country as part of their ‘Sampark for Samarathan ‘ programme. Shah will be meeting NDA allies including SAD leaders. As part of Sampark Program, Amit Shah also met eminent industrialist Ratan Tata and former Bollywood heartthrob Madhuri Dixit and her doctor hubby Dr Shriram Nene with Fadnavis. (Image courtesy : TOI)