Uddhav responds to Fadnavis’s ‘invite’: Is a thaw on the cards?

With local body polls approaching, Eknath Shinde is a ‘common enemy’ for BJP and Sena (UBT). Could the Thackeray-Fadnavis meet signal political realignments?

MUMBAI: Tremors in the corridors of power grew stronger on Thursday, a day after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, speaking in a lighter vein in the state legislative council, invited Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray to join the treasury benches. Barely 24 hours later, the two leaders were closeted in the chamber of legislative council chairperson Ram Shinde – a meeting that left political observers wondering whether Fadnavis’s light-hearted remark was, in fact, a precursor to serious political realignments in Maharashtra.

Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray presents the book 'Why Do You Want Hindi?' compiled by various editors across the state against the compulsory implementation of Hindi, to state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, at Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai on Thursday. (@ShivSenaUBT_ X/ANI Photo) (@ShivSenaUBT_ X)

The meeting, which could signal a thaw in relations between Fadnavis and Thackeray, comes against the backdrop of a simmering cold war between Fadnavis and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde. It’s a war that began late last year, when Shinde had to concede chief ministership to Fadnavis when the Mahayuti alliance swept to power in the state.

Now, Fadnavis appears to be warming up to Thackeray, arch rival of Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, who ditched Thackeray to join the Fadnavis-led BJP in 2022.

What could trigger a tectonic political shift are the upcoming elections to local bodies, including the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

The first indication that Thackeray was willing to move past his bitter falling-out with Fadnavis came in December last year, when he met Fadnavis during the winter session of the legislature. Relations between the two had soured in 2019, when the undivided Sena led by Thackeray and the BJP parted ways over the chief ministership after elections that year. Thackeray went on to become chief minister, but in 2022, Fadnavis backed Eknath Shinde in a coup that split the Sena and brought down the Thackeray-led MVA government.

In January 2025, Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana in an editorial titled ‘Devabhau Abhinandan’ (‘Congratulations, Brother Devendra’) praised Fadnavis for his development plans for Naxal-affected Gadchiroli. In due course, Aaditya Thackeray met Fadnavis on a couple of occasions.

Then, on Wednesday, Fadnavis virtually invited Thackeray to join the treasury benches, in his speech during the send-off for leader of the opposition Ambadas Danve. Fadnavis joked that there was “scope for Uddhav Thackeray to come to the ruling side”. This was followed, not 24 hours later, by the Thackeray-Fadnavis meeting on Thursday.

When the media pressed Shinde to comment, he said, “I was busy with my work. Since both leaders were inside in the anti-chamber, I have no idea what they discussed.”

But Uddhav and his son Aaditya, who was also present at the meeting with Fadnavis, are keeping everyone guessing. Were they discussing new political alignments ahead of elections in the state, or were they there to push the language issue, which saw the Mahayuti government recently backtracking on introducing Hindi as the third language in schools in Maharashtra.

Thackeray presented Fadnavis a booklet titled ‘Hindi Sakti Ka Nasavi? (‘Why there should be no compulsion of Hindi) to Fadnavis and Ram Shinde. Later, Thackeray told Fadnavis that his party MLAs had complained that funds were not being allocated to them for development work and urged him to look into the matter. Fadnvais promised he would.

Commenting on the meeting with Fadnavis, Aaditya Thackeray said, “We presented CM Fadnavis a collection of articles from apolitical individuals, opposing the imposition of Hindi.” Asked about Fadnavis’s ‘invitation’ to Uddhav, Aaditya said “friendly exchanges happen in the legislature”.

Just as Thackeray and Fadnavis appear to be making friendly overtures, relations between the BJP and Shinde-led Sena have hit a new low. Several Sena MLAs have embarrassed the Mahayuti alliance in recent times, with behaviour and remarks bordering on the thuggish – fisting people and urging their cadres to “break the legs” of opponents. With local body elections coming up, the BJP leadership got Shinde to reprimand his MLAs, with the Sena chief telling his flock, “Speak less, work more.”

So, what could the Thackeray-Fadnavis meeting mean for the balance of power in the state?

A Sena (UBT) leader said the thaw between Fadnavis and Thackeray began when Shinde challenged Fadnavis for the chief minister’s post last year. “Shinde has never accepted Fadnavis as CM. He still thinks he will take over in the future. Besides, he has aggressively expanded the Sena and could challenge the BJP in some civic body elections, and has big stakes in the BMC. So, right now, Shinde is a common enemy of Fadnavis and Thackeray.”

Although a formal alliance between the BJP and Sena (UBT) is definitely not on the cards, Fadnavis and Thackeray could be preparing the ground to join forces at some point, if the need arises, in a few years,” said the Sena (UBT) leader.

Thursday’s meeting between Thackeray and Fadnavis could also serve as a signal to Shinde – a reminder of where he stands in the ever-shifting sands of Maharashtra’s political landscape.

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Thackeray may visit Delhi

Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray is likely to visit New Delhi soon, after Congress leaders spoke with him about a July 19 meeting of the INDIA bloc. A couple of days ago, Thackeray had expressed the need for such a meeting as none was held since the Lok Sabha elections last year. However, according to Sena (UBT) leaders, Thackeray has urged Congress leaders to hold the INDIA bloc meeting after the monsoon session of parliament begins on July 21, rather than on July 19.