What’s wrong in meeting PM Narendra Modi, he is no Nawaz Sharif: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday led a delegation of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi government to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to discuss around a dozen important pending issues concerning the state, officials said. According to reports, he was accompanied by his deputy Ajit Pawar and senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan. Thackeray also met PM Modi separately for around 10 minutes.

Speaking about the meeting, Thackeray said the meet was ‘personal’ and not political in nature. He said that they are not politically together, but the ‘bond is not broken’, adding that he has good relations with the Prime Minister. “We may not be politically together but that doesn’t mean our relationship has broken. ‘Main koi Nawaz Sharif se nahi milne gaya tha’ (I didn’t go to meet Nawaz Sharif),” the Maharashtra CM replied to a question about meeting PM Modi separately.

Earlier today, Uddhav discussed issues related to the Maratha reservation, Metro car shed and GST compensation with the Prime Minister at latter’s official residence 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. “Discussed issues related to the Maratha reservation, Metro car shed, GST compensation with the prime minister,” Thackeray said. He said the state government wants to move the car shed to Kanjur. The state and the Centre both claim the land as theirs.

Uddhav said the issue of giving Marathi the status of classical language is also pending with the Centre. He said the Prime Minister assured to look into these issues.

This is Uddhav’s second visit to the national capital after taking over as the chief minister of the state in November 2019. The Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government wants to move the Metro car shed to Kanjur. The state and the Centre both claim the land as theirs. The matter is currently pending with court.

The previous Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP government had decided to construct the Metro car shed in Aarey, but the move came under opposition from environmentalists.

Uddhav heads an alliance government of the three parties – the Shiv Sena, NCP and the Congress. After the Assembly elections in November 2019, the Shiv Sena quit the NDA and sided with then rivals NCP and Congress to form the government.