Uddhav’s paper praises Fadnavis, sparks talk of his return to NDA

Maharashtra’s political circles were abuzz on Friday with speculation over whether Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray would return to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, following his party’s mouthpiece showering generous praise on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The latest issue of Saamna, the Shiv Sena UBT mouthpiece edited by party leader Sanjay Raut, commended Fadnavis for his visit to Naxal-affected Gadchiroli at the start of the New Year, when most others were preoccupied with celebrations.

During his visit, Fadnavis announced plans to improve infrastructure and promote industrial development in the region, aiming to bring social harmony and modernisation.

An editorial in Saamna titled ‘Congratulations Deva Bhau’ stated, “If the CM wants to give Gadchiroli a new identity as a Steel City instead of a Naxal-affected district, he should be welcomed.”

The editorial also raised concerns about the law and order situation in Beed following the killing of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. However, the praise for Fadnavis stood out, coming just after a period of extreme tension between the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, which included Shiv Sena UBT.

None of the MVA leaders had attended the oath-taking ceremony of Fadnavis and his deputies. The undivided Shiv Sena had been an ally of the BJP in the 2019 Assembly elections, which they won. However, Uddhav later parted ways with the BJP, forming a government with the Congress and NCP, and became CM. His government eventually collapsed after a rebellion led by Eknath Shinde, who split the Shiv Sena and aligned with the BJP to form a new alliance with the Shinde faction and a breakaway faction of the NCP led by Ajit Pawar.