After Sena'S decision, Uddhav-Fadnavis meet creates flutter in political circles

Mumbai: After announcing to go solo for the next Lok Sabha poll, a meeting between Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday at the latter’s bungalow has created flutter in the political circle. 

Though the official reason for the meeting was the Sena’s opposition to the proposed Naner oil refinery, sources said that both the leaders possibly discussed the current political scenario. 

Sena has been opposing the proposed Naner refinery project in Konkan along with the locals. A delegation of the locals led by Mr Thackeray met the CM at his official residence Varsha. Locals do not want the project, fearing it will ruin the environment and displace 3,000 families. The expected investment in the project is Rs 2.3 lakh crore and would require 15,000-acre of the land along the Sindhudurg-Ratnagiri border. 

The sources in the government said that the two leaders met separately before the refinery discussion. “The met for around 15 minutes and possibly discussed the current political scenario,” the sources said. 

Though the Sena has passed a resolution to go solo for the polls, the two parties might have some amicable solution for the polls. The meeting between the two has political significance as there were reports that the alliance between the two will not continue longer.  

The delegation told the CM about the problems of the proposed refinery project. The CM assured them that he would look into the matter.  He even said that the government would respect the sentiments of the villagers and will reconsider the project, the sources said.  Earlier in the day, industries minister and Sena leader Subhash Desai had said that the project would not be enforced on the people.