Ex-RBI governor Raghuram Rajan meets Uddhav Thackeray amid speculation of him joining Cong

Thackeray along with wife Rashmi and sons Aaditya, Tejas welcomed Rajan to their home. Shiv Sena (UBT) maintained that the meeting was done out of courtesy. However, the meeting ahead of the February 27 Rajya Sabha election has raised eyebrows in political circles

Mumbai: Former Reserve Bank of India governor and economist Raghuram Rajan on Tuesday met Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray at his Bandra residence amidst speculations that Rajan could be a Congress or Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidate for Rajya Sabha elections from Maharashtra.

Ex-RBI governor Raghuram Rajan meets Uddhav Thackeray amid speculation of him joining Cong

Thackeray along with wife Rashmi and sons Aaditya, Tejas welcomed Rajan to their home. Shiv Sena (UBT) maintained that the meeting was done out of courtesy. However, the meeting ahead of the February 27 Rajya Sabha election has raised eyebrows in political circles.

Maharashtra will have six seats falling vacant and new candidates would be elected in the biennial elections. As per the equation to win each candidate will need a minimum 42 votes of members of the assembly.

Against the backdrop of the split in Shiv Sena and NCP, only Congress (44) has the required number. Thackeray faction and Sharad Pawar faction can extend support to Congress candidates to show the unity of MVA.

According to a Thackeray faction leader, Rajan could be projected as an MVA candidate for Rajya Sabha from Congress subject to the final decision by the Congress high command. “In this context, Rajan may have met Thackeray as a courtesy,” said the leader. Congress sources, however, said that so far, nothing has been finalised.