Arch rivals Bal, Pawar ganging up against Rane?

WHAT'S BREWING HERE: Maharashtra saw surprising political activity on Sunday.

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Keywords: NCP, Shiv Sena

Mumbai: While the big political battle was drawing to a close in Gujarat, neighbouring Maharashtra saw surprising political activity on Sunday. Two of Maharashtra's biggest leaders – but also arch rivals – ailing Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar met at the latter's residence for over an hour.

Pawar insisted that he'd merely gone to inquire about Thackeray's health, but the only other person present at the meeting was Saamna Editor Sanjay Raut, who hinted that it may not have been a mere courtesy call.

“There is nothing as such that was discussed. But this is politics and we can never say anything for sure,” Raut said.

Coming on the heels of a public outburst by Revenue Minister Narayan Rane against Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Maharashtra political circles are buzzing with the possibility of a political realignment, including the possibility of the NCP trying to forge a relationship with the Shiv Sena.

The Sena, too, has had differences with its alliance partner, the BJP, over the presidential elections earlier this year.

The NCP in fact has already allied with the Shiv Sena in the Pune corporation elections.

However, NCP leaders strongly denied the possibility of an alliance. “We are a secular party with secular ideology and there is no chance that we will come together with unsecular parties,” NCP leader Jeetendra Avhad said.

The denials have been noted, but when the two biggest leaders of Maharashtra meet after a gap of 10 years observers are sure that the agenda extended beyond a mere exchange of pleasantries.