Discussed only OBC quota during my meeting with Maharashtra CM: Devendra Fadnavis

Devendra Fadnavis. File Pic

Maharashtra BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said his one-on-one meeting with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was regarding OBC quota in local bodies and no other topic was discussed.

After attending an all-party meeting on Friday, the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly and Thackeray met behind closed doors for ten minutes, triggering speculation amid a raging political feud between BJP and ruling Sena over the arrest of Union minister Narayan Rane on Tuesday for his controversial remarks against the Sena chief.

"It is true that I held discussions with chief minister Uddhav Thackeray after the all-party meeting on OBC quota in local bodies. The discussion during our meeting was only about the OBC quota in local governing bodies. Thackeray asked my cooperation and I responded positively," Fadnavis told reporters.

"No other topic came up for discussion during our meeting," he added.

The meeting between Fadnavis and Thackeray, whose parties had shared power in Maharashtra from 2014 to 2019, had generated intense political interest amid speculation that leaders of BJP and Sena have agreed informally to go soft on each other especially in the wake of the Rane episode.

The all-party meeting was held at the Sahyadri Guest House of the state government here on the issue of restoring the reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in local governing bodies.

CM Thackeray had said all political parties agreed to restore the reservation for OBCs in local governing bodies and a decision would be taken in a week.

The state government is trying to find a way to restore political reservation for OBCs in Maharashtra after the Supreme Court read down the earlier provision.

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