Before the CM hosts the Sena chief for dinner next Monday, Thackeray will visit him today to seek a quota for the Dhangar community
Uddhav Thackeray
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has one more demand that he wants Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to fulfill. He will lead a delegation to Fadnavis' official residence on Thursday evening, to seek reservation for the Dhangar community in jobs and education.
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A top source confirmed to mid-day that Thackeray has been given an appointment at 8 pm. The Sena president told sainiks on Tuesday night that he hadn't agreed on having a BJP chief minister, and he would go all out to get the Sena the top post, and an equal share of cabinet berths if the combine was voted to power in the October Assembly polls.
Pursuing Dhangars
The Sena chief had ensured the Dhangar community of getting justice for it, because other communities such as the Marathas (16%) and weaker sections of upper castes (10%), have already been obliged by the BJP governments at the state and centre.
Thackeray, who is at the receiving end to seal the pre-polls alliance with the BJP because of his 'no-truck-ever-with-BJP' announcement in the past, should be seeking some damage control through the demand. Fadnavis too has promised a quota for Dhangars but the proposal needs approval at the Union government's level. Stuck in technical difficulty, it would interesting to see how Fadnavis gets the matter resolved and tries to share credit with Thackeray.
Dinner diplomacy
Though Thursday's meeting is expected to be brief and would leave no scope for the top leaders to spend quality time, a big bash is planned for next week at the CM's residence, Varsha.
The bonhomie between the partners would be on full display on February 25– the first day of the legislative session – when Fadnavis will host Thackeray, his son Aaditya, the Sena and BJP ministers, and Sena legislators over a sumptuous dinner. For BJP, the Sena's aggressive posturing for the CM's post would continue to be a major concern. Another concern that the BJP needs to address is the unrest in its rank and file, which thinks the Sena has been given a lot in the pre-poll arrangement.
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