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

In a significant development, ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis met with Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut at a luxury hotel in Mumbai and held a 2-hour meeting on Saturday. While this meeting between the former allies had set political circle atwitter, BJP Maharashtra spokesperson Keshav Upadhye clarified that the meeting was not political in nature. Fadnavis met with Raut - Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana's executive editor for an interview, said Upadhye.

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Fadnavis meets with Raut

Upadhye added that Fadnavis has told Raut to air the interview unedited. He added that while the interview has been fixed, the format of the same was under discussion. Fadnavis is likely to give Raut an interview after the Bihar polls are completed by November. Fadnavis will be the second non-Shiv Sena leader which Saamana will be interviewing after NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar.

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Raut and Fadnavis 

Raut has been vocal in his attack on BJP since the 35-year alliance split over a variety of issues like - Ram mandir, Jalyukt Shivar scheme, Metro car shed, NRC, CAA, Farm Bills, COVID and the most recent - Sushant Singh Rajput's death probe and Kangana Ranaut's attack on Mumbai police. While CM Uddhav Thackeray has slammed Fadnavis' extensive visits to various parts of Maharashtra amid the Coronavirus pandemic, Raut had praised the BJP leader, saying that he has been effectively carrying out his role as a Leader of Opposition. Fadnavis too has criticised the Sena government's ineffective COVID management, the SC stay on Maratha reservation, scrapping gram panchayat polls amid the pandemic.

Earlier in the day, Raut had criticized the Election Commission for holding Bihar elections amid the pandemic. He opined, "Elections in Bihar should be fought on the issues of development, law and order, and good governance, but if these issues have exhausted, then issues from Mumbai can be sent as parcel". Fadnavis is the BJP's election in-charge in Bihar along with Bhupendra Yadav.

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BJP-Sena fallout

Prior to the 2019 Maharashtra state polls, Shiv Sena had reiterated that it will accept only the 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, the party had demanded a sharing of 2.5 years in the CM post too; this has been refused by Devendra Fadnavis, stating, 'The next govt will be formed under a BJP CM.' With no respite to the deadlock, Sena allied with NCP-Congress and Thackeray was sworn-in as the first Thackeray CM on November 27.

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