Maharashtra CM, family meet PM Modi

PTI, Jul 22, 2023, 6:51 PM IST

Accompanied by his family, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Shinde said it was a courtesy call and he also briefed the prime minister on the progress of projects stalled during the previous Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government as well as about the impact of heavy rains in Maharashtra.

The meeting comes amid unease in the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance after the NCP’s Ajit Pawar joined the coalition government in Maharashtra.

Prime Minister Modi also interacted with Shinde’s father Sambhaji, wife Lata, son Shrikant, daughter-in-law Vrushali, and grandson Rudransh.

“It was a courtesy call. My father was keen to meet the prime minister. I am glad his wish has been fulfilled,” the chief minister told reporters here soon after four generations of the Shinde family returned from the Prime Minister’s Lok Kalyan Marg residence.

Shinde said he missed his mother Gangubai, who passed away a few years ago.

During the meeting, the chief minister said, he apprised the prime minister of the situation due to the landslide at Irshalwadi, a tribal village nestled in the Sahyadri mountain ranges in Raigad district.

The landslide has claimed at least 26 lives and 80 people are reported missing.

Shrikant Shinde, who is also a Lok Sabha MP from Kalyan, said the family will forever cherish this meeting.

”Modiji took time out of his busy schedule and spent time with four generations of our family. He enquired about our well-being with great interest.

”Some moments spent with him gave us a glimpse of his sensitive side. We were overwhelmed by the way he interacted with my grandfather Sambhaji Shinde.

”The time spent by the leader, who is trying to shape India as a superpower, with our family by becoming one amongst us has become a golden moment that we would cherish for all our lives,” he tweeted.

The Maharashtra chief minister was in the national capital on Tuesday to attend the meeting of the constituents of the National Democratic Alliance chaired by the prime minister.

Shinde said he felt honoured when he was asked to move the resolution adopted by the NDA partners on Tuesday.

The Shiv Sena leader said he and his family were also scheduled to meet Home Minister Amit Shah.

The chief minister said he also briefed Modi on the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, which has been awarded to the Adani Group.

There has been intense speculation about how the entry of Ajit Pawar, who has never shied away from expressing his desire to be chief minister, will impact the ruling alliance in Maharashtra.