Are 'sparring partners' Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray allying for polls?

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray with CM Devendra Fadnavis

A closed-door meeting between chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray late yesterday, is being seen as a thaw in the estranged ties between the allies. Sources said the leaders met in a very amicable manner and mulled over the possibility of taking the union forward in the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.

Will they, won't they?
The two leaders met at the CM's official residence on Thursday night, keeping hopes of the allies making amends to sour relations, alive. The Sena chief had announced that his party will not tie up with BJP in future elections. The meeting happened before Thackeray announced his party's opposition to a chemical refinery in Konkan. He was there with a delegation of Sena leaders and project-affected people. What was positive about the development is that Thackeray went all the way to the CM's residence to have a dialogue over a matter of disagreement.

The meeting is said to have broken the ice between the fighting partners, as Fadnavis showed preparedness to discuss all things related to a tie-up for all future elections, and preserving a long-term relationship with the Sena with new vigour. The two also discussed the upcoming Lok Sabha by polls in Maharashtra. The two discussed whether they should contest by polls as partners like they did in 2014, and for two previous decades before the Modi wave. Sources said the BJP has requested Sena to not field its candidates in the Gondia and Dahanu by elections. Thackeray will convey his decision whenever required, said a Sena leader.

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