Bal Thackeray slams BJP-MNS bonhomie

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has reportedly criticised the Bhartiya Janata Party leaders that met him on Saturday. The BJP leaders were held accountable for their party chief’s criticism on Thackeray and also the friendly approach adopted towards Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. BJP leaders Gopinath Munde, Sudhir Mungantiwar and Vinod Tawde met Thackeray on Saturday morning. Thackeray was told that Gadkari will meet him once the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections are through.

The meeting took place in the backdrop of the troubled relationship between the two parties, as well as Gadkari’s criticism of Bal Thackeray and Sena mouthpiece Saamana’s attempt to bash up BJP leaders. Gadkari had said two days ago that his calls were not passed on to Thackeray when he attempted to get in touch. He had also taken offence at the language used by Saamana for BJP leaders and had held the newspaper’s editor, Sanjay Raut, responsible. Gopinath Munde, however, claimed that it was just a courtesy visit, keeping in consideration the recent success of the parties in the elections. “We have no objection over the criticism by Bal Thackeray,” he said. Thackeray had said in an interview that the BJP chief Gadkari is not at par with the party veteran leaders.

According to political observers, by asking Raut to attend the meeting between the two parties, Bal Thackeray has endorsed the views expressed in Saamana. Raut later told reporters that the misconceptions between the two parties have come to an end after the meeting.