"Biggest News Of The Day": Devendra Fadnavis After Sharing Flight With Uddhav Thackeray

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his political rival Uddhav Thackeray, president of Shiv Sena (UBT), travelled on the same IndiGo flight from Mumbai to Nagpur on Friday.Uddhav Thackeray was accompanied on the flight by his son Aaditya Thackeray, Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, and other senior leaders of the Shiv Sena (UBT). The journey took place against the backdrop of ongoing political developments in Maharashtra, including the recent defection of six Lok Sabha MPs from the Thackeray-led party. The two leaders reportedly shook hands and exchanged some words."The three of us meeting together is the biggest news of the day," Devendra Fadnavis said. The development has drawn attention in political circles, coming shortly after the rebellion by the six MPs from Shiv Sena (UBT) and ahead of a planned tour by Uddhav Thackeray of constituencies linked to those who left the party. Uddhav Thackeray was heading to Nagpur as part of a Vidarbha tour. Devendra Fadnavis was travelling to his hometown of Nagpur.The BJP, which leads the ruling Mahayuti coalition, moved quickly to downplay any political meaning. BJP MLC Prasad Lad told a regional news channel that he was more surprised by Uddhav Thackeray choosing a regular commercial flight than by the shared journey itself."Devendra Fadnavis regularly travels between Mumbai and Nagpur by plane, so there is nothing surprising about his journey," Lad said. He added that political rivalry did not turn the leaders into enemies. "Although we are political opponents, we are not enemies. We do hold cordial talks," Lad stated.Lad recalled that Uddhav Thackeray and his family had attended his daughter's wedding despite tensions between the BJP and Shiv Sena (UBT)."We are not adversaries of each other," he said. The BJP legislator described Fadnavis as someone who maintains friendly relations across party lines and insisted there was "nothing political" in the two leaders being on the same flight.On the defection of the six Lok Sabha MPs, Lad said the process had been underway for the past four months. "The Lok Sabha members did not defect suddenly, but the process was going on for the last four months. The BJP has nothing to do with their defection," he said. He said that Uddhav Thackeray may have been disappointed, but observed that he still saw a smile on his face.Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare also sought to minimise the episode. "I also don't see any significance in such a meeting. It is a coincidence and nothing more than that," she said. Andhare added that with national conversations around fuel savings and leaders avoiding private jets, the use of a commercial flight should be viewed in that context rather than as a political signal. She said that Nagpur is the Chief Minister's home ground and Uddhav Thackeray's Vidarbha tour had already been planned.This marks Uddhav Thackeray's first visit to Vidarbha since the six MPs rebelled. A large number of party workers gathered at Nagpur airport to receive him, with drums and cymbals sounding and slogans raised in his support. Posters featuring Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray were displayed prominently in the airport area.