Dinner diplomacy may be next for saffron allies

Even as backchannel diplomacy is on between the saffron allies for the Lok Sabha elections, there is a possibility that certain contentious issues may be sorted through dinner diplomacy.

“Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis told Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray that they could meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi over dinner in New Delhi and discuss the issues that cannot be settled through talks between the two parties in Mumbai,” said a Sena functionary.

While Thackeray was affirmative about the suggestion, he told Fadnavis he would prefer meeting Modi only if the alliance is finalised. “It would be inappropriate if we meet PM Modi and a poll pact is not sealed in the meeting. As such, it is better to see if the alliance can be worked out first, Uddhavji told Fadnavis,”said the functionary.

Thackeray said he would also like to invite Modi for lunch or dinner at Matoshree during his next visit to the city, the Sena functionary said.

A senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said PM Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah are willing to intervene if it helps in working out an alliance between the two parties that are anyway together in the Centre and state. “There is a possibility of Shah meeting Thackeray at his residence,” he said.

Maharashtra, which has second highest number of Lok Sabha seats (48) after Uttar Pradesh (80), is an important state for the ruling BJP which is seeking a re-election. An alliance with the Sena could put the BJP in a better position to win maximum seats from the state.

HT had earlier reported that backchannel communication is on between the two parties. The fate of the alliance depends on an increase in the number of seats for Sena, power-sharing arrangement post assembly polls and swapping of seats.

Fadnavis has been in touch with Thackeray, although the parties are not friendly on public platforms. Thackeray recently met his party MPs to hear their views on alliance with the BJP. According to insiders, most MPs are in favour of an alliance.

First Published: Feb 01, 2019 00:11 IST