Uddhav Thackeray is like an elder brother to me: Devendra Fadnavis

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has taken a step ahead to iron out differences between his party, the BJP, and ruling partner the Shiv Sena. He wrote an emotional piece, in praise of the Sena chief, who turned 56 on Wednesday.

Shiv Sena workers greet party chief Uddhav Thackeray at Matoshree, Bandra yesterday on his birthday. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

"Uddhav Thackeray is like an elder brother to me. The Sena and BJP are two different parties and there could be differences between the BJP and the Sena, but Uddhavji has not allowed them to mar our personal relations. There are many leaders in the BJP who share great concern for late Balasaheb Thackeray and Uddhavji," Fadnavis wrote.

He said Uddhav was a great leader who displayed amazing courage and aggression. "They said the Sena would face a vacuum after Balasaheb's death, but Uddhavji has proved them wrong with his strong leadership."

The appreciation was published in the Sena's mouthpiece Saamna on Wednesday. The CM's article bears a lot of significance in view of the current political scenario.

The ruling partners are on a warpath on various issues. The other day, Thackeray threatened to teach the BJP a lesson if the government continued to ignore his legislators and sainiks in the official work and government welfare schemes. Last month, the two parties were at loggerheads over expansion of the state cabinet.

But the CM and Uddhav sorted out differences by dining together at a friend's place and then Uddhav hosted the Fadnavis family at his Kalanagar residence before the start of the ongoing legislative session. Before that the two came together for a statewide tree plantation drive.

Fadnavis said what he liked most about Uddhav was his logical thinking. "I share with him the difficulties that I face while administering the state and he understands them very well and does not create any roadblocks for me," the CM wrote.

Together on issues
While political circles continue to discuss the two parties after changes in their respective leaderships, Fadnavis finds the two parties together on many issues.

"Generations change in the families and parties as well. The Sena and the BJP too have seen such changes, but nationalism and Hindutva bind them together even now," he said.

Fadnavis said that Uddhav was the leader of the alliance government and his wish was command for him. "Generally, media thinks that the suggestions that Uddhavji makes are against the government. It is a fact that the BJP and the Sena are two different parties and they have different programmes and styles (of functioning). And this is the reason people see differences and contradictions. If that wasn't so why would they be two separate parties?" asked the CM.

Fadnavis said that he was confident of Uddhav's ability of taking his father's agenda further. "He is friend with a large heart. I also wish his son Aaditya all the very best because he has been watching politics very closely," said the CM.