The meeting between BJP leader Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray two days ago had upset the Shiv Sena. It had demanded an explanation from its alliance partner the BJP and even hit out at Mr Gadkari for reaching out to its political rival.
On Wednesday, however, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray decided to bury the hatchet. “This issue is closed. On issues of the alliance, BJP leader Gopinath Munde and I will sit together,” Mr Thackeray told reporters. He said that he would soon be meeting Mr Gadkari along with other leaders in the alliance.
Yet earlier in the day, the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna had sharply criticised Mr Gadkari. Sarcastically referring to him as an astute businessman, the newspaper said, “Mr Gadkari’s speciality is that without offering anything, he proposed that the MNS chief support him. And the news is that he has accepted. Such a cheap and sweet deal has never happened in the world of politics. Mr Gadkari’s business skills should be praised.”
