Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal's son Pankaj today met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence here, triggering speculations on whether the Sena has mellowed down its stand on the Shiv Sainik-turned NCP stalwart who was recently granted bail in a money laundering case.
A Shiv Sena source privy to the meeting said Thackeray advised Pankaj to take care of his ailing father who is in hospital.
Bhujbal had long been a persona non grata of the Sena leadership since he left the Bal Thackeray-fonded party in 1991.
Notably, the Sena had yesterday said Bhujbal's arrest in a money laundering case and subsequent incarceration was "fate's revenge" against him for his bid, when he was the state Home minister, to put Sena founder Bal Thackeray behind bars.
"It was just a 15-minute courtesy call by Pankaj Bhujbal. There was no political discussion during the meeting," a Shiv Sena legislator told PTI.
The meeting comes five days after Bhujbal, the former deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in a money laundering case.
Indicating softening of the party stand vis-a-vis Bhujbal, party spokesperson Sanjay Raut said, "Had (Chhagan) Bhujbal been in the Sena today, such fate would not have befallen on him. Bhujbal is a political adversary, but we do not have personal enmity.
"Those who deserted late Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, each of them ended in misery. Karti Chidambaram, the son of P Chidambaram gets bail within eight days in a money laundering case. Then why it took one-and-half-years for Bhujbal to get the bail?"