Mumbai, March 24 – The Maharashtra Legislative Council witnessed a cordial exchange of words on Tuesday as Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and eight other MLCs were given a warm farewell by the Upper House.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke about his friendship and long association with Thackeray before their separate paths in 2019, while Thackeray made an oblique reference to the BJP leader aligning with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena after the 2022 split in the regional party.
Besides Thackeray, the council also gave farewell to Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe (Shiv Sena), Amol Mitkari (NCP), Shashikant Shinde (NCP-SP), Rajesh Rathod (Congress) and BJP members Dadarao Keche, Sanjay Kanekar, Ranjeet Sinh Mohite-Patil, and Sandeep Joshi.
The six-year term of these MLCs ends in May, and they were given farewell on the penultimate day of the ongoing state legislature budget session.
Fadnavis recalled his party, the BJP's, earlier alliance with the united Shiv Sena and his association with Thackeray, as well as their subsequent split in 2019.
The CM maintained that he grew closer to Thackeray, who headed the united Shiv Sena, in 2010, and their personal bond deepened in 2014.
"We developed a friendship. I will not say it is not there (anymore)," Fadnavis said.
The chief minister stated that Thackeray's temperament was not typical of a politician.
"Many times, he (Thackeray) is seen clashing, launching a strong attack, and counter-attacking. But this is not his original temperament. His original temperament is measured and maintaining relations," Fadnavis stated.
Fadnavis further said that Thackeray never bothered about the consequences.
In his farewell speech, Thackeray said, "If you knew me so well, then why did you hold someone else's hand," an apparent reference to Shiv Sena president and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who is now aligned with the BJP.
Thackeray also demanded that, despite not having the required members, there should be Leaders of Opposition (LoPs) in both houses of the state legislature.
Both houses currently do not have LoPs.
Thackeray listed the work done by him during his tenure as CM (November 2019-June 2022), especially during the coronavirus pandemic.
On his farewell day, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLAs Aaditya Thackeray, Mahesh Sawant, Varun Sardesai, Bala Nar, and Kailash Patil were present in the visitors' gallery.