Maharashtra politics' arch-rivals came face-to-face in an accidental meeting outside a lift in Mumbai. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and BJP's Devendra Fadnavis were standing in an awkward atmosphere as the two were waiting for a lift together.
What the two spoke about, is known to none, but it looked like they were just making a conversation which was slightly more than a small talk.
However, Thackeray reacted to the said conversation and said, "When Devendraji and I were in the lift, people must have felt like 'Na na karte pyaar tum hi se kar baithe' (a song from the 1965 classic Bollywood film called Jab Jab Phool Khilte, which means 'I fell in love with you despite denying it continuously'), NDTV cited.
"There is nothing like that and this has nothing to do with (Nana) Patole. It was just an unexpected meeting," the former Maharashtra Chief Minister said.
In a light-hearted manner, Thackeray also said, "Someone just said that walls have ears. But the walls of a lift don't have ears. So, you have given a good suggestion," adding that they should conduct all their "secret meetings inside a lift".
Notably, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly's Monsoon Session also kickstarted its first day.
Earlier, another interaction of Thackeray with BJP minister Chandrakant Patil emerged. Patil gave a bar of chocolate to the Sena UBT chief, who responded saying that "tomorrow you will give chocolate to the people of Maharashtra". Thackeray's comments were in reference to the state budget for voters ahead of the election.
The Monsoon session is the last session of the Maharashtra Assembly before the state election, which is set to take place later in the year.
A close fight in the state's political geography is expected, especially after Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA) bagged more seats than the ruling alliance of Mahayuti -- BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) and NCP (Ajit Pawar). MVA had won 30 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats, while NDA got 17 seats.
Notably, Uddhav Thackeray's government was toppled after Eknath Shinde let the movement which resulted in the split in Shiv Sena. Shinde then partnered up with the BJP to form the next government, with Thackeray resigning from the Chief Minister's post. Then Ajit Pawar also turned rebel against his uncle and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, resulting a split in the party.
Ajit also ended up joining the BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde) alliance, forming a part of the Mahayuti.
