Two weeks after he shot off a combative letter to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray saying he won't meet him unless called, senior Sena leader Manohar Joshi visited the Thackeray residence, ‘Matoshree’, on Sunday.
“He said he wanted to hold some political discussions with Uddhav ji, but could not do so due to Diwali rush. He has said that he will revisit Matoshree to have a lengthy discussion. He left after giving Diwali wishes to Uddhav ji,” sources present at Matoshree said.
Recently, a clear rift between the two came out in the open when Mr. Joshi criticised the Sena chief indirectly on a public platform after being denied a ticket for the 2014 parliamentary election. He was later dropped by the party from the joint poll committee of the Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
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Speculations were rife regarding the end of road for Mr. Joshi when he was heckled by Shiv Sainiks at the party’s famous Dasara rally recently.
It is not clear if Mr Thackeray agreed on Sunday to grant Mr. Joshi audience regarding his grievances.
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Meanwhile, Republican Party of India (RPI) leader Ramdas Athawale too called on the Sena chief on Sunday. He sought a Rajya Sabha seat from him.
“Uddhav Thackeray accepted that a Rajya Sabha seat should be given to Mr. Athawale. He has promised that even if the Sena fails to give him a seat in Maharashtra, they will talk to the BJP for granting a seat from outside the State,” sources close to Mr. Athawale told The Hindu .