Maharasthra CM calls union minister 'future colleague', hinting at Sena-BJP coalition

Reacting to Thackeray's remark, BJP leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the chief minister must have realised that the state was suffering because of the Sena's "unnatural alliance" with the NCP and Congress.

New Delhi:Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday set fresh speculations of the Shiv Sena's coalition with the BJP when he referred to BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Railways Raosaheb Danve as his probable "future colleague".

“Present here is my former colleague, and if we come together again in the future (BJP-Sena), my future colleague,” Thackeray said looking at Danve. Both leaders were sharing a stage at an event organised in Aurangabad to commemorate the Marathwada region's accession to the Indian Union from the Nizam of Hyderabad.

Thackeray, however, later said he was only joking as he met his old friend Danve after a long time.

Talking to reporters, Danve, BJP MP from Jalna, said the two parties shared the same ideology and that the BJP was always willing to renew ties with the Sena.

Earlier this week, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil had said that he should no longer be called a 'former' state minister as "things were changing".

Reacting to Thackeray's remark, BJP leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the chief minister must have realised that the state was suffering because of the Sena's "unnatural alliance" with the NCP and Congress.

On the other hand, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday wished Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 71st birthday and said that PM Modi took the BJP to new heights and there is no leader who could match him.