Mumbai, April 25: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday firmly rejected viral claims that he held a clandestine midnight meeting with Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray at his official residence, 'Varsha' bungalow, in Mumbai. The denial comes at a politically charged moment, with elections for nine Maharashtra Legislative Council seats scheduled for May 12 and speculation swirling over whether Thackeray will seek re-election before his current term expires on May 13.

How the Rumour Spread

The controversy was ignited by a post from the social media handle 'Prabuddh Bharat', which alleged that Uddhav Thackeray visited the Chief Minister's residence late at night. The post further claimed that the supposed meeting was aimed at engineering an unopposed Maharashtra Legislative Council election to prevent what it described as 'horse-trading' among legislators.

The post spread rapidly across political circles in Maharashtra, fuelling speculation about a possible backroom understanding between the two leaders — who were once political allies before the dramatic 2022 split in the Shiv Sena.

Fadnavis Hits Back, Threatens Legal Action

CM Fadnavis categorically denied the claims, asserting that no such meeting took place. He made it clear that if he and Uddhav Thackeray were to meet, they would do so openly and without any need for secrecy, adding that there are currently no issues between them that require being concealed from the public.

He went a step further, labelling the social media handles spreading the story as 'liars' and warning that legal notices would be served to those deliberately circulating false information. The threat of legal action signals the ruling Mahayuti alliance's growing sensitivity to disinformation ahead of the council polls.

Sanjay Raut's Cryptic Response Adds Fuel

Shiv Sena (UBT) Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut did little to douse the speculation when questioned about the alleged meeting. Rather than a flat denial, Raut offered an ambiguous response, stating that only the two leaders concerned — Fadnavis and Thackeray — could confirm whether any meeting occurred.

Political observers noted that Raut's non-denial denial was in sharp contrast to Fadnavis's direct rebuttal, and may have inadvertently prolonged the controversy rather than ending it.

MVA Pushes Thackeray to Contest; Uddhav Silent

The backdrop to this political storm is the impending expiry of Uddhav Thackeray's Maharashtra Legislative Council membership on May 13. Leaders across the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition are publicly pressing him to contest the May 12 elections to retain his legislative seat.

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) MP Supriya Sule formally urged Thackeray via social media to enter the fray, calling him a senior and experienced leader whose presence would benefit both the House and the state of Maharashtra.

State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal and Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar also extended their backing for Thackeray's nomination, reflecting a unified front within the MVA.

Despite the chorus of support, Uddhav Thackeray has not yet publicly declared whether he will contest the elections or nominate another candidate — a silence that is itself being read as a political signal by analysts in Maharashtra.

Deeper Political Stakes: Why This Matters

The rumour of a midnight meeting between Fadnavis and Thackeray — however quickly denied — reflects the high-stakes nature of the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections and the fragile political equilibrium in the state. The 2022 Shiv Sena split, which brought down the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government and catapulted Eknath Shinde and subsequently Fadnavis to power, left deep fault lines that have never fully healed.

The very suggestion of a secret parley between the two leaders — even if false — speaks to a broader public anxiety about whether Maharashtra's political realignments are truly settled or whether another seismic shift could be in the making. Notably, Legislative Council elections in Maharashtra have historically been flashpoints for defections and political bargaining, making the 'horse-trading' narrative particularly resonant with voters.

With the Mahayuti alliance firmly in power and the MVA regrouping after its 2024 Maharashtra Assembly election defeat, both sides have strong incentives to manage optics carefully. Any perception of secret dealings could destabilise internal coalitions on either side.

As May 12 approaches, all eyes will be on whether Uddhav Thackeray files his nomination, how the seat-sharing within MVA plays out, and whether the Mahayuti chooses to contest all nine seats or negotiate a selective understanding — openly or otherwise.