Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday spoke to Shrimant Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj, the head of the Kolhapur family.
Thackeray and Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj spoke over phone after Shiv Sena trouble-shooter Sanjay Raut called on the latter at the New Palace in Kolhapur on Sunday.
The development comes a day after Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj took a dig at his son Yuvraj SambhajiRaje Chhatrapati, who has decided to opt out of the race to Rajya Sabha.
Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj, in a brief interaction with media, seems to have blamed Leader of Opposition and two-time former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
“…. he met only Fadnavis and announced that he would contest as an Independent candidate and start his new outfit called Swarajya. I think this was a mistake,” he said, adding that his son should have also met leaders of Maha Vikas Aghadi.
Around a fortnight ago, Yuvraj SambhajiRaje Chhatrapati met Fadnavis and later in Pune, he decided to contest as an Independent candidate seeking support of all political parties. Thereafter, he met Thackeray, during which he was asked to join Shiv Sena and get the nomination.
A miffed Yuvraj SambhajiRaje Chhatrapati, in a press conference in Mumbai had said: “I felt very bad…the Chief Minister failed to keep his word".
However, his father, Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj, pointed out: “After discussion between the two, a draft was prepared. But it was not a final agreement and there were no signatures affixed on it…Therefore, the claim that the Chief Minister betrayed him is wrong.”
After this, Yuvraj SambhajiRaje Chhatrapati refused to comment. “I respect my father and I would not speak on what he had said…however, what I said in the press conference (in Mumbai) is true.”
Talking to reporters, Raut said since he was in Kolhapur, he called on the Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj. “The Chief Minister spoke to him over phone…he would soon meet Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj in Kolhapur,” he said.
"My meeting is personal and no politics was discussed, " he said.
It may be mentioned, Yuvraj SambhajiRaje Chhatrapati was the President-nominated Rajya Sabha member from June 13, 2016 to May 3, 2022 and is keen to serve the House of Elders once again.