It’s been seven years since the undivided Shiv Sena and BJP split over the issue of chief ministership after the 2019 elections but both chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray have not forgotten the episode that later changed the course of politics in Maharashtra.
Speaking on Thursday at the release of a book on Maharashtra’s cartoonists compiled by renowned cartoonist Prashant Kulkarni, Fadnavis referred to his cabinet colleague Ashish Shelar’s remark that Fadnavis never disappointed if Raj Thackeray called him to attend any function. “I also used to go every time Uddhavji called me till 2019. After that he did not call me. I kept waiting but the phone never rang,” Fadnavis said. He was referring to Thackeray cutting off communication with him after the BJP leadership turned down his demand of sharing the chief ministership after the 2019 elections when the two parties together won adequate seats to form the government.
Uddhav Thackeray responded to Fadnavis’ remarks at another book release function on Saturday. “The phone calls from some people stopped in 2019. Even if a call comes now, nothing will happen,” he remarked. The bitterness of the 2019 break-up appears to be still lingering.
