Uddhav Thackeray’s ‘secret’ lift meeting with Fadnavis triggers speculations in Maharashtra.

Uddhav Thackeray and Devendra Fadnavis were seen chatting in a lift in Vidhan Bhawan, causing ripples in the state’s political affairs. Maharashtra deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray bumped into each other at the lift of the Vidhan Sabha and had a brief conversation, sending ripples in the state’s political affairs. While the “unexpected” conversation between the two leaders sparked speculations of the parties realigning, Thackeray dismissed it as a casual conversation. On the first day of the state legislature’s monsoon session, Fadnavis and Thackeray found themselves waiting for the lift together. A viral video shows the two leaders exchanging some words. The two former Maharashtra chief ministers were seen having a conversation while waiting for the lift in the state assembly, with many wondering what they talked about. While speaking to the media, Thackeray said on a lighter note that it’s good that “lifts don’t have ears”, and he is looking forward to more such “secret meetings”. Asked about the conversation later, Thackeray said, “People must have thought of the song, ‘na na karte pyar tumhi se kar baithe’ (I fell in love with you despite denials). But no such thing will happen”. The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief further said that nothing should be inferred from the same, and it was just an “unexpected encounter”. BJP legislator Pravin Darekar, who was also in the lift said, “When the lift doors opened, Fadnavis walked towards the side of the ruling party offices and Uddhav ji walked to the opposition party offices. This means he has no intention of joining the ruling benches.” Senior BJP minister Chandrakant Patil also met Thackeray in the office of the Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Ambadas Danve. Patil presented Thackeray a bouquet and a milk chocolate. “You will give another chocolate to the people tomorrow,” Thackeray quipped, in an apparent reference to sops being part of the state budget to be tabled on Friday.While addressing a press conference on Thursday, Uddhav Thackeray took a swipe at the Maharashtra government and the BJP-led Centre over the NEET-UG paper leak case, calling it the “leakage government.”“The Centre and the state are leakage governments because exam papers (NEET) were leaked and there is leakage in the Ram temple sanctum sanctorum. They have no shame,” he said.