Uddhav Thackeray meets Ajit Pawar, day after opposition alliance talks in Bengaluru

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Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief Uddhav Thackeray Wednesday met his former ally and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for the first time after the NCP leader joined the Eknath Shinde government. The meeting came after Thackeray, a member of the state legislative council, attended the house proceedings for a brief period and also a day after the former Chief Minister was present in a key meeting with other opposition parties in Bengaluru.

It was first a formal meeting between the NCP leader, a former ally, and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief after Pawar switched sides and joined the Shiv Sena BJP government lead by Eknath Shinde. "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 said after the meeting the former ally. The former chief minister noted that Deputy Chief Minister had worked in his cabinet and he knew his style of functioning.  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 said.

The political landscape of Maharashtra underwent a significant shift June when Pawar and eight other Nationalist Congress Party MLAs joined the Shinde government. This move effectively split the NCP, which was founded by Sharad Pawar.