Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday met former ally and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for the first time since the NCP leader joined the Eknath Shinde government.
The meeting came on the sidelines of Thackeray, a member of the state legislative council, attending the house proceedings and a day after the former Chief Minister was attended a key meeting with other opposition parties in Bengaluru.
The interaction, PTI reported, was the first formal meet-and-greet after Pawar, a former ally of Thackeray as part of the undivided Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), switched sides and joined the Shiv Sena BJP government.
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"I met Ajit Pawar and congratulated him, and I hope he will do the right work for the people. I have worked with him in 2019 as well and I know his style of work," Thackeray was quoted as having said.
Pawar was also the Deputy Chief Minister when Uddhav Thackeray was Chief Minister before a split in the Shiv Sena led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
Thackeray urged Pawar, who also serves as the Finance Minister, to continue his efforts for helping the state and its citizens.
"I am confident that people of the state will get aid because he has the keys to the treasury," Thackeray was quoted as having said.
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The political landscape of Maharashtra underwent a significant shift last month when Pawar and eight other Nationalist Congress Party MLAs joined the Shinde government. This move effectively split the party, which was founded by Sharad Pawar.
The split came a year after Eknath Shinde engineered a revolt against Uddhav Thackeray and became the Maharashtra Chief Minister with the help of the BJP.
