Mumbai: The BJP made an extra effort to reach out to former ally Shiv Sena on the second death anniversary of its founder Bal Thackeray, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying tribute to Balasaheb on Twitter.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis along with his ministers and party MLAs visited Balasaheb’s smriti sthal at Shivaji Park here on Monday, where the CM said his government will build an appropriate memorial for the late Sena chieftain.
But for all their efforts to make amends, the BJP leaders were greeted at Shivaji Park by aggressive Shiv Sainiks who shouted slogans like “Sena angaar hai, baaki sab bhangar hai.”
Former Lok Sabha Speaker and Maharashtra ex-CM Manohar Joshi was the only Sena voice which spoke in favour of patching up with the BJP.
In another interesting development, MNS chief Raj Thackeray went to Shivaji Park and met his estranged cousin Uddhav. Raj skipped going to Shivaji Park on Thackeray’s first death anniversary though he lives just a stone’s throw away.
Earlier on Monday, BJP leaders indicated that the CM might not visit Shivaji Park to pay tribute. The visit was not part of the Mr Fadnavi’s schedule, but he still made time for it. He also paid tribute to the late Shiv Sena chief on Twitter.
