On his maiden visit to Mumbai after his elevation as BJP’s election campaign committee chief, Narendra Modi on Thursday reached out to Shiv Sena, which had slammed him for his “parochial” rescue efforts for Gujaratis in flood-hit Uttarakhand, meeting its leader Uddhav Thackeray.
The Gujarat chief minister, who is not on best of terms with Mr Uddhav Thackeray and is considered closer to his estranged cousin MNS chief Raj Thackeray, called on the Sena president at his residence “Matoshree” in suburban Bandra.
A battery of senior state BJP leaders including its state president Devendra Fadnavis, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Vinod Tawde and Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar were also present.
Though what transpired during the 20-minute meeting was not known, a senior BJP leader present there said it was a courtesy call by Mr Modi.
Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana had on Tuesday assailed Mr Narendra Modi over his rescue efforts
for Gujaratis in Uttarakhand, terming it as “parochial”, and said Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan was “large-hearted” in this mammoth task.