Uddhav Thackeray Meets Maharashtra Dy CM Ajit Pawar For First Time Since NCP Split

Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya met Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Uddhav Thackeray with Ajit Pawar in Mumbai on Wednesday

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray met Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in Mumbai on Wednesday, PTI reported. Former minister Aaditya Thackeray was also present in the meeting. The meeting comes a day after Thakeray attended the Opposition camp meeting in Bengaluru while Ajit Pawar was present in the NDA session. 

"I asked him to do good work for the state and people," Thackeray said after meeting Pawar. "I am confident that people of the state will get aid because he has the keys to the treasury," PTI quoted Thackeray as saying.

Interestingly, the Shiv Sena (UBT) as well as Uddhav Thackeray have so far refrained from directly attacking Ajit Pawar over the revolt and have pinned the blame on BJP.

Ajit Pawar was the Finance Minister in the government headed by Uddhav Thackeray. 

On Monday, Ajit Pawar and some MLAs of his faction met NCP chief Sharad Pawar twice within a span of 24 hours. On Sunday, the deputy CM and some ministers from his camp met Pawar at YB Chavan Centre -- the first meeting between uncle and nephew since Ajit revolted and joined the Eknath Shinde government on July 2.

Praful Patel, a part of the Ajit Pawar camp, said they sought the blessings and guidance of the Pawar senior in the current situation.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Praful Patel said Sharad Pawar was like an "idol to us" and they met him to seek his blessings.

"We requested him (Sharad Pawar) to keep the NCP united. We also asked him to think about our request over the next some days and guide us. He listened to us quietly but said nothing," Patel had said.

Maharashtra NCP president Jayant Patil, speaking on what transpired during the meeting, said Sharad Pawar asked the rebel faction to come up with a solution and suggest a way out of the current situation, PTI reported.

"Those who have taken a separate route (the Ajit Pawar camp) came to meet Sharad Pawar today and requested him to suggest some way out of the current situation," PTI quoted Patil as saying.

"He told them the NCP had contested previous elections with Congress and formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Pawar asked them to come up with a solution and suggest a way out," Patil told reporters.