Uddhav plays down meeting with Modi
■ Nothing wrong to meet PM one-on-one, had not gone to meet Nawaz Sharif: Maha CM
New Delhi, June 8: As his one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi drew intense interest in political circles, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said there was nothing wrong in having such interaction, adding sarkily that he had not gone to meet Pakistani leader Nawaz Sharif.
The Maharashtra chief minister said although his party and the BJP may have parted ways, “the relationship has not ended”.
Mr Thackeray led a delegation of his cabinet colleagues comprising his deputy Ajit Pawar, a senior NCP leader, and Congress’ Ashok Chavan to meet Modi and discuss issues pertaining to the state.
During the 90-minute interaction, Mr Thackeray also had a one-on-one meeting with the Prime
Minister.
Responding to a question on his meeting with Mr Modi, Mr Thackeray said, “Today, politically we are not with them but that does not mean our relationship has ended.
“There is nothing wrong to meet (Modi) one-on-one. I had not gone to meet (former Pakistan Prime Minister) Nawaz Sharif. What is wrong if I have to meet him personally (one on one)? What is wrong in it?” He said during the last one year, there have been instances when he had such conversation with Modi.
The Shiv Sena-BJP alliance crumbled in 2019 over the issue of chief ministership. Sena, which was one of the oldest allies of the BJP, later formed an unlikely alliance with the NCP and Congress to form the Mahavikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra.
Since then the two parties have had a strained relationship, with both leaving no opportunity to viciously attack each other.
“When there was Cyclone Tauktae ..... then he (PM Modi) called and said your government is doing a good job in handling the Covid-19 pandemic. That was a one-on-one talk. So even today we had one on one talk. I told him I have come here with my colleagues and the problems faced by the state,” Mr Thackeray said. —