Mumbai: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and senior Shiv Sena leader Diwakar Raote on Monday met governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari separately , amid the ongoing tussle between ruling alliance partners BJP and Shiv Sena over forming the next state government.Shiv Sena's Diwakar Raote met the governor at 1030 hrs while CM Devendra Fadnavis visited the governor at 1100 hrs.
However, both the parties have maintained that the meeting ''was just a courtesy call''.
Later, the Shiv Sena leader Diwakar Raote said, "This was just a Diwali meet. From 1993, I have been coming to meet the governor on the festival. I met the governor and his family and wished him on Diwali."
"It just that I got the appointment little early so I am here. No political talks at all," Diwakar Raote said. Minutes later, the state chief met the governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari ji this morning at RajBhavan, Mumbai and wished him on occasion of Diwali . Also apprised him on the current scenario, " said Devendra Fadnavis.
A Raj Bhawan official said the meetings were "courtesy calls" by the two leaders, who met Koshyari separately.Meanwhile, BJP enlisted the support of three independent MLA's on Sunday. Two successful BJP rebel candidates including Geeta Jain from Mira-Bhayander seat in Thane district and Rajendra Raut from Barshi seat in Solapur district along with an independent Ravi Rana from Amravati have extended their support to the BJP.
On the other hand, two more newly elected candidates, Bachchu Kadu from Achalpur and his colleague Rajkumar Patel from Melghat, both from Amravati district in Vidarbha region, offered their support to the Shiv Sena, after meeting party chief Uddhav Thackeray.(UNI)