Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray Monday addressed a joint meeting of BJP-Shiv Sena lawmakers at the state legislature here to felicitate Sena's Neelam Gorhe, state Finance Minister and BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar said.
Three-time MLA Gorhe was elected deputy chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council unopposed earlier in the day.
Mungantiwar said Fadnavis and Thackeray asked lawmakers of both the parties to use the remaining period of the current monsoon session to get maximum public interest works done.
Asked if the two leaders guided legislators in view of the Assembly polls, due in September-October, Mungantiwar replied in the negative.
He said, "We are preparing for the Assembly polls together. Alliance talks will also begin in some days. We will fight the polls together with a sentiment 'ab ki baar 220 paar' (over 220 seats this time)."
He informed that only Fadnavis and Thackeray, or anyone the two leaders appoint as spokesperson, will talk on issues related to the BJP-Sena alliance.
Minister of State for Home and Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar said the meeting was held to celebrate the unanimous election of Gorhe.
He refused to comment on a query on what message the state CM and Thackeray gave to legislators at the meeting.
To a question about the reported tussle between Shiv Sena and BJP over the chief minister's post, Kesarkar said such a discussion was on only in the media "and not between the parties".
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