Mumbai:
After a testosterone-ridden exchange of words, Raj Thackery has toned down his opposition to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's planned visit to Mumbai to celebrate Bihar Diwas this weekend. The truce, brought about on phone, will be welcomed most by the city's administration, which was anticipating a rough Sunday.
Seizing on an opportunity to resurrect his anti-migrant political agenda as the Bihar Diwas plans were announced, Mr Thackeray who heads the Maharashtra Narvnirman Sena, had said on Thursday, "I dare him (Nitish Kumar) to celebrate Bihar Din here on the 15th.'' In Patna, Mr Kumar retorted, "I don't need a visa to enter Mumbai.''
Today, however, Mr Thackeray said, "I have spoken to Nitish Kumar on the phone. I have no issues with him coming here. But he cannot visit the city with political intentions.''
This after Janata Dal (United) MLC Devesh Thakur, a former minister who is organizing the Bihar Divas, called on Mr Thackeray at his residence and convinced him that the Bihar Chief Minister was coming to Mumbai for a cultural, not a political function.
Signs that a compromise was in the air came in the morning, when the Bihar Chief Minister too said that he was only visiting Mumbai for a cultural event. "I don't think anyone should feel threatened by this," Mr Kumar said.
And Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said, ''It's a social event.'' His administration was bracing for a law-and-order problem over the weekend and will be relieved.
On record, both the Congress and the NCP, which together govern Maharashtra, have always spoken up for the north Indian migrant, now a substantial chunk of Mumbai's voters. So NCP chief and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said, ''Finally this country is for one and all.'' And Congress leader and minister at the centre Rajeev Shukla slammed the MNS with, ''This unnecessarily igniting people who are living peacefully is not correct.''
But the Congress-NCP government has blurred its stand on the anti-migrant politics that plays out in the Maximum City courtesy all the Thackerays. This was best borne out by the rather late action against Raj Thackeray's migrant-bashing in 2008. So while another immediate crisis has been averted, Mr Thackeray has got the political mileage he wanted. Yet again.