Mumbai: While the Shiv Sena has invited Congress president Sonia Gandhi for the swearing-in ceremony of party chief Uddhav Thackeray as the chief minister of Maharashtra, her son Rahul Gandhi is likely to skip the event on Thursday. The move is seen as an attempt to maintain distance from the Shiv Sena.
Uddhav’s son Aaditya Thackeray visited Sonia Gandhi at her 10, Janpath home and later also met former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Sources said both Mrs Gandhi and Dr Singh conveyed their good wishes but said they won't be able to travel for the swearing-in ceremony.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah would be invited for the ceremony, which will be held at 6.40 pm at Shivaji Park in Dadar.
“We have invited Sonia Gandhi for the swearing-in ceremony of Uddhav Thackeray tomorrow,” said senior Sena leader Eknath Shinde. The invitation is seen as a thanksgiving gesture on the Sena’s part for the support the Congress has given the state government.
After being elected as the nominee for the top post, Mr Thackeray had special words of thanks for the Congress president.
All Congress chief ministers, DMK president M.K. Stalin, Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her Delhi counterpart, Arvind Kejriwal, have been invited for the swearing-in ceremony, said senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar.
The decision to invite all top Opposition leaders is being seen as an attempt to bring all anti-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parties under one umbrella.
The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi — comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress — also wants to send the signal that their government will be ‘pro-farmer’ by inviting ploughmen to the swearing-in ceremony.
“Around 400 farmers from various districts of Maharashtra have been invited for Uddhav Thackeray’s swearing-in ceremony tomorrow. To honour farmers, the family member of those farmers who committed suicide have also been invited,” said Sena MP Vinayak Raut.
