Mumbai: The first day of the Monsoon Session of the Maharashtra Assembly saw an unprecedented display of bonhomie between leaders of the ruling party and the opposition parties. The session began on a sweet note, with Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, meeting Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray. Patil, in a symbolic gesture, presented chocolates to Thackeray as a token of goodwill.
Thackeray along with party MLAs entered the legislature premises and went to leader of opposition in Legislative council Ambadas Danve's office. Chandrakant Patil went to Danve's office to welcome all and gave chocolates to Uddhav Thackeray and others. As beginning day of the session Patil planned to give chocolate and flowers as a gesture to Ambadas Danve being opposition leader of Legislative council. While he visited Danve's office Uddhav Thackeray being present there Patil gave the chocolate bar to Thackeray. In return Shiv Sena leaders gave patil sweets.
During the exchange, Thackeray quipped, "Today you are giving us chocolates, Tomorrow you will give chocolate to the people of Maharashtra," referring to the state budget being presented in the Monsoon session today.
Later, in a press conference, Thackeray targeted Patil's statement, saying, "Just as Chandrakant Patil gave me chocolate this morning, he gave chocolate to the people of the scheme of providing higher education to girls, but it turned out to be empty. So don't give such hollow promises and such chocolates anymore, because people's patience is over."
In another incident, arch-rivals Uddhav Thackeray and Devendra Fadnavis had a chance encounter in the legislature lobby. Both leaders were waiting for the lift together and exchanged light-hearted banter. Thackeray jokingly remarked, "From now on, we will do all our secret meetings in the lift," adding that it was an unexpected meeting.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde weighed in on the incident, saying, "Two years ago, Uddhav Thackeray and his team took a different lift and went to Congress. We took one that carried us to the people."
The unexpected encounter has sparked speculation about a potential alliance between the BJP and Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT). The two leaders were seen waiting outside the lift and having a brief chat before taking the same lift together.
The rivalry between Thackeray and Fadnavis dates back to 2019 after their fallout post-state assembly elections that year. However, Thursday's meeting has raised questions about whether they might once again join hands in the upcoming legislative assembly elections.
