‘Talks with BJP ended after 2019’:Uddhav Thackeray says Fadnavis waited for my call, but I never called

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Saturday that talks with the BJP ended in 2019 and never resumed. Uddhav made the remarks at the launch of Sanjay Raut’s new book, ‘Bodh Kirtan’, in Mumbai. Raut is a Shiv Sena (UBT) MP and the executive editor of ‘Saamana’. Uddhav was responding to a statement made by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis two days earlier. Fadnavis had said that he always responded positively to Uddhav’s calls, but Uddhav had not called after 2019. Uddhav Thackeray said, “We stopped calling some people… and then it stopped forever.” Fadnavis made the remark at the launch of the book, an event also attended by Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray. He had said light-heartedly, “He did not call after 2019. I kept waiting.” Relations deteriorated after 2019 After the 2019 Assembly elections, the undivided Shiv Sena broke ties with its long-time ally, the BJP, over the chief minister’s post. Relations between the two factions deteriorated further after the Shiv Sena split in 2022. The faction led by Eknath Shinde had joined the BJP camp. Questions raised over mobile phone use In his speech, Uddhav Thackeray also said that people had lost the ability to think. He blamed the excessive use of mobile phones for this. He said that, on the one hand, there was emphasis on speaking in Marathi. But it was also necessary to know proper Marathi for this. Otherwise, there was no benefit. Opposition to two power projects Amid opposition to the pumped storage project in Karjat, Uddhav mentioned another power project. This project is located on the Sindhudurg-Kolhapur border. Uddhav said that this project would also face opposition. Article on Narendra Modi’s speech in the book ‘Bodh Kirtan’ includes Sanjay Raut’s philosophical thoughts and experiences. The book also contains an article on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech after the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. At the event, Raj Thackeray spoke about Sanjay Raut’s journey as a journalist. He also spoke about his more than 40-year-old relationship with Raut. Recalled Bal Thackeray’s interview Raj Thackeray said that when Sanjay Raut worked for another magazine, he used to write critical articles about the Shiv Sena. This angered Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. Raj also recalled Bal Thackeray’s first interview with Raut. The interview was conducted for a magazine. The MNS chief said that Bal Thackeray had used some abusive words for Raut. Raut published the interview without removing those words. According to Raj Thackeray, Bal Thackeray liked this about Raut. Raut later became the executive editor of ‘Saamana’ for this reason. ‘Saamana’ is the Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece. ​