MUMBAI: Political circles were abuzz with speculation on Thursday about a reconciliation between BJP and Shiv Sena (UBT) after state minister Chandrakant Patil, at a wedding reception a day earlier, told Uddhav Thackeray that he was waiting for the “golden moment” when the two parties would ally again.
Patil had met Thackeray at the reception of BJP MLA Parag Alavani’s daughter. When Thackeray’s PA and MLC Milind Narvekar asked Patil when the two would come together again, Patil said, “I’m waiting for that golden moment.” Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut later reacted, “Patil has been a supporter of the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance from the beginning… his feelings are shared by many in Sena (UBT).”
But CM Devendra Fadnavis dismissed the buzz and said parties don’t come closer or form an alliance by meeting at weddings.
Raut: Worked well with Modi, disillusionment after Shah’s rise
On the buzz around a patch-up between BJP and Sena (UBT), Sanjay Raut Raut said, “Chandrakant Patil has been a supporter of the Sena-BJP alliance from the beginning. Especially with regard to having the Sena-BJP alliance, there was an older generation, including leaders like Patil (who were well-inclined). Now there are many newbies in BJP. They will not understand the importance of the alliance of 25 years. They have no connection with BJP or the alliance. But Patil’s feelings are the same as feelings of many in that party. We worked well with him for 25 years. We also worked well with Modi. But after the rise of Amit Shah, disillusionment entered the alliance.”
