Mumbai, July 17, 2025 — In a move stirring fresh political speculation across Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray met with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday, just a day after Fadnavis publicly extended a suggestive invitation for his former ally to join the ruling coalition.
The meeting took place in the chamber of Legislative Council chairperson Ram Shinde and lasted around 30 minutes. Also present was Aaditya Thackeray, Uddhav’s son and the Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA from Worli.
The interaction follows Fadnavis’ remarks at the farewell function for outgoing Leader of Opposition Ambadas Danve on Wednesday, where he made a pointed yet playful offer to Thackeray. “Uddhav ji, there is no scope for a change in government till 2029. We won’t be moving to the opposition. But you can come here and we can think about it differently,” the CM said, prompting political circles to buzz with speculation.
Thackeray and Fadnavis were once allies in government before the undivided Shiv Sena broke ties with the BJP following the 2019 Assembly elections. The rift emerged over disagreements regarding rotational chief ministership, leading Thackeray to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance with the NCP and Congress.
Thursday’s meeting, though unofficially described as “non-political” by insiders, is being seen as a potential ice-breaker or at least a symbolic thaw between former allies, especially ahead of the 2029 elections and amid shifting power dynamics in the state.
