Congress and NCP 'upset' with Raut-Fadnavis meet; Sharad Pawar meets CM Uddhav : Sources

Inspite of 'clarification' of '2-hour meeting' between Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut and BJP's Devendra Fnavis, sources report on Sunday that NCP and Congress are upset over meeting between former allies. Sources report that Maharashtra Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat and NCP chief Shar Pawar are reportedly at Uddhav Thackeray's home- 'Matoshree' to discuss same. Both Fnavis and Raut have stated that meeting was 'n-political' and pertained to an 'interview'. 

Ex-CM Devendra Fnavis holds 2-hour meet with Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut; BJP explains why

Fnavis meets Raut

On Saturday, ex-Maharashtra CM met with Shiv Sena MP at a luxury hotel in Mumbai and held a 2-hour meeting.  While this meeting between former allies h set political circle atwitter, BJP Maharashtra spokesperson Keshav Uphye clarified that meeting was for Fnavis' tentative interview for Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana with Raut, post- Bihar polls. He said that while interview has been fixed, Fnavis has told Raut to air interview unedited, reportedly insisting on his camera to be present. Fnavis will be second n-Shiv Sena leer which Saamana will be interviewing after NCP Supremo Shar Pawar.

As several political leers like Congress' Sanjay Nirupam and NCP MP Majeed Memon raised questions on meeting, Raut confirmed meeting was for a 'Saamana' interview, maintaining that political dimension in state will t change. Agreeing to Sena and BJP's 'ideological differences', he said that two parties are t enemies. He ded that Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray was aware of meeting with BJP leer. 

But Raut as been vocal in his attack on BJP since 35-year alliance split over a variety of issues like - Ram mandir, Jalyukt Shivar scheme, Metro car shed, NRC, CAA, Farm Bills, COVID and most recent - Sushant Singh Rajput's death probe and Kangana Ranaut's attack on Mumbai police. Fnavis too has criticised Sena government's ineffective COVID manment, SC stay on Maratha reservation, scrapping gram panchayat polls amid pandemic. Fnavis is BJP's election in-charge in Bihar along with Bhupendra Yav.

Sanjay Raut justifies 2-hour meet with BJP's Fnavis; says 'Sena forced to leave NDA'

BJP-Sena fallout

Prior to 2019 Maharashtra state polls, Shiv Sena h reiterated that it will accept only 50:50 formula, while BJP denied ever having agreed to such a formula. It allegedly offered 13 cabinet portfolios to Sena while keeping 26 for its ministers. Apart from Sena's portfolio demand, party h demanded a sharing of 2.5 years in CM post too; this has been refused by Devendra Fnavis, stating, ' next govt will be formed under a BJP CM.' With respite to delock, Sena allied with NCP-Congress and Thackeray was sworn-in as first Thackeray CM on vember 27.

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