Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and two of his senior Cabinet colleagues — Ajit Pawar and Ashok Chavan-- met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Tuesday. . However, a separate one-to-one meeting Thackeray had with Modi was interpreted as political.
Dismissing speculations, Thackeray said while the Shiv Sena has parted ways with the BJP, the relationship between the two parties has not ended. “Today, politically we are not with them but that does not mean our relationship has ended. There is nothing wrong in meeting Modi one-on-one. I had not gone to meet (former Pakistan Prime minister) Nawaz Sharif. What is wrong if I have to meet him personally? What is wrong in it?” Thackeray asked.
He said issues related to the Maratha reservation, Metro car shed, GST compensation were discussed with the prime minister and Modi has assured to look into the issues. “The meeting lasted for an hour and a half,” Pawar said.
Pawar said the State is expecting ₹46,000 crore as GST compensation but it has only received ₹22,000 crore. “Maharashtra still has to receive ₹24,306 crore. The State is battling coronavirus pandemic and this will have an impact on its revenue and the compensation amount should be given at the earliest,” Pawar said.
“After the Supreme Court scrapped the quota for Marathas in jobs and educational institutes, all power has now been vested with the Centre to decide on this. The Centre should take steps to uncap the sealing of 50 per cent on reservation in educational institutions,” Chavan said.