At Uddhav Thackeray's Farewell, Praise From D Fadnavis And An E Shinde Dig

A decade-long political arc concluded today with polite speeches, veiled barbs, and a closed-door meeting whose contents neither side would confirm. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has gone from a scion to chief minister to Opposition now. His tenure in the Maharashtra Legislative Council ended today along with eight other members, quietly closing a chapter that had placed the Shiv Sena founder's son in the state's top office. But that office was wrested away by a rebellion from within.

Today's farewell session produced what is being seen as an unlikely exchange of compliments.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called Thackeray "one of the most popular photographers from the state," recounting how Thackeray had opened a helicopter door mid-flight to frame the image while shooting the Wari pilgrimage.

"While clicking the pictures of Wari, Uddhav Thackeray went on a helicopter, opened the door and took the picture," Fadnavis said.

He added that Thackeray's photographs showed "sensitivity", a comment that could also be alluded to in a political context. Thackeray's fundamental nature, his "mool swabhav", was not that of a politician, Fadnavis said, in what was seen as drawing a parallel with Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's own single-minded decisiveness: once a decision was taken, it was carried through.

Thackeray did not dispute the characterisation made by Fadnavis.

"The chief minister is right when he says I'm not a politician because at heart I'm an artist," he said, acknowledging Fadnavis with folded hands for making time for the occasion.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was seated alongside Fadnavis. Once Thackeray's close aide, Shinde's defection in 2022 had collapsed the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and stripped Thackeray of both chief ministership and the legacy Shiv Sena.

"Uddhav Thackeray saheb will be leaving today. I pray he gets a healthy and long life, and wish him all the best for the future," Shinde said.

Thackeray did not name him in response. Looking across the aisle at the bench where Shinde sat, he said, "I'm glad that you know me so well, but I'd like to say aise konsi baat thi, ki aur ka haath pakadna pada (what was it that made it necessary to hold someone else's hand for support)?"

Many saw it as referencing the 2022 Maharashtra political crisis when the Thackeray government fell after Shinde teamed up with the BJP.

After the formal proceedings, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, his son Aditya Thackeray and party MLAs walked over to meet Fadnavis at the chief minister's office. What followed was a closed-door discussion of approximately 10 minutes.

Thackeray raised the issue of MLAs not receiving funds for development work, sources said. The accompanying MLAs in Thackeray's presence also informed Fadnavis of their grievances directly, detailing the hurdles they said were obstructing development projects in their constituencies, sources said. Neither side offered a formal statement on what else was discussed.