Mumbai Sees Political Stir as Raj Thackeray Meets Deputy CM Eknath Shinde

Mumbai, Maharashtra: In a significant political development following the Mumbai civic elections, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray met Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday. The meeting, held at Shinde’s official residence ‘Nandanvan’, lasted for a considerable time and has sparked speculation in political circles across the state.

Background of the Meeting

During the recent Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation elections, MNS supported the faction of Shiv Sena led by Raj Thackeray’s cousin, Uddhav Thackeray. However, the alliance could not secure power in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), where the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, with support from the BJP, won 118 seats, surpassing the required 114-seat majority.

First Face-to-Face After Elections

This was Raj Thackeray’s first direct meeting with Eknath Shinde since the municipal elections. A senior Shiv Sena official stated that the two leaders discussed several political topics, though both parties declined to disclose the details. The Shinde-led Shiv Sena described the meeting as a matter of courtesy.

Political Implications

No official comment has yet come from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) regarding the meeting. Given the current political climate in Maharashtra, this face-to-face encounter between Raj Thackeray and Eknath Shinde is being closely analyzed for potential strategic implications ahead.