Adani meets Raj Thackeray ahead of Dharavi redevelopment works

The half-an-hour meeting between Gautam Adani and Raj Thackeray has led to various speculations in the town. In the past few days, Adani has been meeting prominent leaders in the state after his Group won the bid for the redevelopment of Dharavi, Asia's biggest slum.

Mumbai: Indian billionaire industrialist Gautam Shantilal Adani met Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray on Tuesday evening, raising speculations in the State. The meeting, which lasted for over half an hour, was held at Thackeray's residence Shivtirtha in Dadar. There are reports that the duo discussed the Dharavi project.

After meeting with Adani, Raj Thackeray also met State Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Two back-to-back important meetings in the State have left everyone puzzled. This meeting too lasted for half an hour and was conducted at Fadnavis' official residence Sagar Bungalow at Malabar hills.

Earlier in October last year, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Fadnavis met MNS President Raj Thackeray. Following this, Raj Thackeray and Devendra Fadnavis met twice in the same month. The high-end meetings are expected to play a major role in Maharashtra politics with some expecting an alliance between the two parties in the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.

Meanwhile, Adani also had a discussion with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and BJP leader Ashish Shelar in the past few days. The chairman and founder of the Adani group had won the bid for the redevelopment of the Dharavi slum in November last year. Since then he has been in constant touch with Maharashtra government authorities to draft plans for the rehabilitation of Dharavi, Asia's biggest slum.