Ajit Pawar Dismisses Political Speculation Over Thackeray-Fadnavis Meet

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday sought to quell speculation surrounding the meeting between Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, calling it a routine interaction rooted in the state’s tradition of open communication. Speaking to reporters in Wardha, Pawar stated, “Many leaders meet the chief minister, whether in power or not. There’s no need to give a political angle to this meeting.”

The 40-minute meeting, held at Fadnavis’ official ‘Varsha’ bungalow in south Mumbai, followed a significant electoral setback for the MNS and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). Their joint panel in the BEST Employees’ Co-operative Credit Society elections on Wednesday failed to secure any of the 21 seats, prompting Fadnavis to criticize the Thackeray cousins for politicizing the polls with the “Thackeray brand.”

Political circles are abuzz with talks of a potential MNS-Sena (UBT) alliance for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls, fueled by the Thackeray cousins’ rare joint appearance last month advocating for Marathi identity.

However, posts on X suggest some view the meeting as a possible MNS pivot toward the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition, especially after Fadnavis’ earlier openness to accommodating MNS in local elections. Political analyst Rohan Kulkarni noted, “Raj’s move could be strategic, testing waters with both sides.”

As Maharashtra gears up for civic polls, Pawar’s remarks aim to temper speculation, but the meeting’s timing keeps political watchers on edge.

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