Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray share flight to Nagpur

Published 26 June 2026 · local

In a surprising political moment amid the ongoing churn in Maharashtra politics, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray travelled on

In a surprising political moment amid the ongoing churn in Maharashtra politics, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray travelled on the same flight from Mumbai to Nagpur on Friday. The encounter came just days after six of the nine Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs switched allegiance to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction, intensifying the political battle in the state. Read Full Story During the flight, Fadnavis and Uddhav Thackeray were seen exchanging a warm handshake and brief pleasantries. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, who was seated beside Uddhav and MP Sanjay Raut, who was seated behind the Chief Minister, were also on board along with other party leaders.

The unexpected meeting immediately sparked political speculation, with observers linking it to the recent defections that have weakened the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. However, both camps dismissed any political significance, describing the encounter as a coincidence and a routine exchange of courtesy. Chief Minister Fadnavis was travelling to Nagpur, his hometown and Assembly constituency, for pre-scheduled official and political engagements. Uddhav Thackeray, meanwhile, reached Nagpur to begin a three-day tour of the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions, where he is scheduled to meet party workers and address public meetings in Lok Sabha constituencies represented by the six MPs who recently joined the Shinde faction.

The tour is being viewed as an effort by the Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership to reconnect with its cadre and explain the party's position following the defections. 'SHIV SENA (UBT) IS STILL STRONG' Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut asserted that the party remained strong despite the split and expressed confidence in Aaditya Thackeray's leadership abilities. He said the younger generation should gradually assume greater responsibility within the party and maintained that Aaditya was capable of leading the organisation. Raut also criticised the defecting MPs, saying they had switched sides for "money, power and protection" and should not be described as "rebels." He argued that the term should be reserved for freedom fighters such as Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev, not politicians who change parties for political gain.

Ends