In a significant political development, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will meet Narendra Modi for the first time after he snapped ties with the BJP and formed a Government with the NCP and Congress, when the Prime Minister arrives in Pune on Friday night for a national conference of top police officials.
Uddhav will receive the Prime Minister when he arrives in Pune at 9.50 pm on Friday for a national conference of directors general and inspectors general of police, to be held in Pune from December 6 to 8.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also likely to attend the three-day conference of the DGPs and IGs to be held at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Pune’s Pashan area.
Though it is more of a protocol that a Chief Minister receives the Prime Minister on the latter’s arrival in his state, it is of political significance, considering that Uddhav, who is the Shiv Sena president, will meet Modi for the first time since the three-decade-old saffron alliance broke down and the Sena joined ranks with the NCP and Congress to form a Government.
The brief meeting between Modi and Uddhav at the Pune airport on Friday night will have a positive bearing on the relations between the two leaders in the coming days.
Modi was among the first to congratulate Uddhav on his being sworn in as the chief minister of Maharashtra on November 28. “Congratulations to Uddhav Thackeray Ji on taking oath as the CM of Maharashtra. I am confident he will work diligently for the bright future of Maharashtra,” Modi had tweeted.
Replying to Modi, Uddhav had tweeted: Thank you Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji for your kind wishes. With you as my big brother in the Centre & with a strong cabinet in the state, I am looking forward to working persistently, to build a New Maharashtra”. Meanwhile, the state government and the Centre have planned elaborate security arrangement for Modi’s visit to Pune and also for the national conference of the State DGPs and IGs coming from across the country.
The Ministry of Home Affairs organizes the national conference of DGPs and IGs every year.
Earlier it was organized in Delhi, but after Modi became Prime Minister, it is being held in different cities every year.