A tweet by Marathi actor Deepali Sayed saying that Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will sit across the table for a discussion has raised eyebrows in the state's political circles.
"It is great to know that in the coming two days, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde will come together for the first time for a discussion, respecting the sentiments of Shiv Sainiks,” Sayed tweeted in Marathi.
While the Shiv Sena denied any such move, the Shinde camp has not commented on the issue.
Sayed does not hold any post in the Shiv Sena, and had unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Vidhan Sabha polls from Mumbra-Kalva in Thane.
Last week, Sayed had met Shinde and stressed on the need for the two factions of Shiv Sena to come together.
“Shinde saheb understood the sentiments of Shiv Sainiks and Uddhav saheb played the head of the party with a big heart…thanks to the BJP leaders for mediating,” she further said, adding that she was awaiting to know the venue of the meeting.
“I have spoken to both the sides…and I have tweeted what I have been given to understand,” Sayed said when asked to elaborate on the tweet by reporters.
To repeated questions, she said: “I cannot see my family breaking and hence I am making the efforts.”
Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha member and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut, however, rubbished the claims.
“I don’t know…she is an actor…she works for the party, she is not a leader.…I don’t know who gave her authority…such things can be spoken by an authorised spokesperson,” said Raut.