Uddhav meets PM Modi, defends Centre's CAA move, says 'no one has to fear'

Thackeray is also scheduled to meet Sonia Gandhi, Amit Shah and L K Advani during the visit

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, his such visit since the bitter fallout of the former allies after the Maharashtra assembly election results last year.

The Shiv Sena supremo was accompanied by his son Aditya Thackeray, who is currently a member of the Maharashtra cabinet.

Later in the day, Thackeray met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and spoke to her about the current political situation.

The two met at Gandhi's 10, Janpath residence and the meeting lasted for about 30 minutes. 

According to media reports, the two leaders also discussed functioning of the Maharashtra government.

Thackeray followed up this visit with a meeting with senior BJP leader L K Advani.



Thackeray is also scheduled to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Thackeray said: “Had good discussion with PM over issues concerning Maharashtra. PM Modi promised extending all cooperation to the state government.”

Uddhav talks CAA

A key topic of discussion between the two was the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), NRC and NPR.

Speaking about the meeting, he added,” Discussed CAA, NPR and NRC with PM, no one has to fear about CAA. NPR not going to throw anyone out of country.”

These remarks come two days after Sena’s ally in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, NCP, made explicit its opposition to the CAA.

"Whatever Uddhav Thackeray said, that is his view. He is the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, he has his own views. Yes, in Maharashtra we are in a coalition government and opinion and views of the parties on certain issues may differ, but we can sit and discuss on it as far as CAA is concerned," said NCP chief Sharad Pawar.

"The three parties of the Maha Vikas Aghadi will sit and discuss it. Soon we will be having a detailed discussion on it and we will try to convince Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray about it," Pawar added. Both, the Congress and the NCP have been critical of Modi government’s new citizenship law.

Speaking in a similar vein, Maharashtra Congress chief and state cabinet minister Balasaheb Thorat had earlier said that Congress is opposed to the CAA and NRC, and the party would speak with coalition partner Shiv Sena over the issue, which seem to back the new citizenship law.

The Sena, however, has positioned itself differently on the issue. 

On Tuesday, 18 February, CM Thackeray had stated that the NPR will be carried out in Maharashtra and added that “there is nothing controversial about it.”

Speaking to reporters after his meeting with the Prime Minister, Thackeray said: “(There’s) No friction among allies, we are going to run Maharashtra government for 5 years.”