Uddhav Thackeray Pays Delhi Visit, Calls On Sunita Kejriwal Amid Spiraling Political Drama
Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray met the wife of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Sunita Kejriwal, at her residence in the course of his three-day visit to New Delhi. The visit comes as Kejriwal is currently facing legal hurdles over a Central Bureau of Investigation case concerning the Delhi Excise Policy.
Uddhav Thackeray visits Kejriwal’s family
Uddhav Thackeray, accompanied by his son, Aaditya Thackeray who is an MLC and party leader Sanjay Raut visited Sunita Kejriwal and her family. AAP MPs Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha were also present to discuss the ongoing legal and political struggles being faced by the Aam Aadmi Party.
Sanjay Singh has said unity among opposition parties was the key: “Uddhav ji told Sunita Kejriwal and her entire family that we will all fight this government together.” The issues discussed today were based on the recent legal actions taken against Arvind Kejriwal, particularly his style of arrest, which according to Singh, is “unprecedented” in Indian judicial history.
Legal Challenges for Arvind Kejriwal
It is only recently that the Delhi High Court has refused to entertain Kejriwal’s petition challenging his arrest by the CBI. Actually, it termed the arrest valid and questioned the implications of such investigations in the long run with a need to have a serious relook. In addition, the Directorate of Enforcement has also sought a brief adjournment to take up its plea seeking that Kejriwal’s bail be cancelled, thereby leading to concerns over his possible re-arrest.
The visit by Uddhav Thackeray comes at a time when several opposition leaders have been visiting one another in what is interpreted as a signal that the joint opposition stands as one against alleged government highhandedness and muzzling of opposition voice. Singh said, “through ED-CBI they want to suppress our voice.” That is the common refrain among opposition leaders against the ruling party’s alleged weaponizing of investigative agencies in political battles.
Thackeray’s Political Outreach in Delhi
Earlier in the day, Thackeray met senior Congress leaders, including its national president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi. The meetings are part of the ongoing efforts by Thackeray to bring together the opposition parties ahead of the assembly elections in Maharashtra.
The political scenario has completely changed in Maharashtra during the last few months. In the recently held Lok Sabha elections, the seat count of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has come down to nine from 23 in 2019. The Congress party increased their seat share and won 13 seats. The Shiv Sena won seven while the Nationalist Congress Party bagged a single seat on its own.
Looking Ahead to Maharashtra Assembly Elections
With the term of the present government of Maharashtra coming to an end in 2024, the state is all prepared to go to assembly elections for which there will be a total of 288 seats. Though the Election Commission hasn’t declared the exact dates for it, the political environment is abuzz with speculations and strategies of various opposition parties.
More than a gesture to Kejriwal’s family, showing unity, Uddhav Thackeray’s visit to Delhi was a step toward building coordination among opposing parties. As this political pot simmers, what will really make a difference in politics within the borders of Maharashtra is this coalition of the Shiv Sena, Congress, and AAP.
Or, in other words, Uddhav Thackeray’s meet with Sunita Kejriwal reiterated the unity of opposition leaders amidst impending legal and political wars. As the Maharashtra assembly elections come closer, it is these strategies evolved during such meetings that might turn out to be the real turning point in political wars.
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