Mumbai Confidential: The Phone Calls

Two back-to-back telephonic conversations between the two, both of which were initiated by Modi earlier this month, have thrown a hint of a thaw in the tense ties

Our sources also tell us that Thackeray was pleased by Modi’s “friendly” gesture.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray have shared an uneasy relationship ever since the two parties parted ways to contest the Assembly polls in Maharashtra together. While both parties are allies at the Centre and in Maharashtra, there has been almost no bonhomie between the two leaders. But two back-to-back telephonic conversations between the two, both of which were initiated by Modi earlier this month, have thrown a hint of a thaw in the tense ties, claim insiders. Our sources also tell us that Thackeray was pleased by Modi’s “friendly” gesture.

Behind The Scene

Eyebrows are being raised in the corridors of power over the Fadnavis government’s proposal to write-off dues in excise duty owed by a few big winemakers. According to sources, a close associate of a Union minister has been lobbying for the cause. He is believed to be close to an industry giant. Even as a committee headed by Chief Secretary Dinesh Kumar Jain has voted in favour of a write-off, the bureaucracy is divided over the issue.

Mantri’s Parivaar

Discontent is brewing in the power corridors over increased interference of the kith and kin of some senior ministers in matters of governance. In the case of three Cabinet ministers — two from the BJP and one Shiv Sena — matters have come to such a head that the issue has even been flagged off with the Chief Minister’s Office, which is now keeping a closer watch on their departments.

Turf War

Battlelines have been drawn between Palghar Collector Dr Prashant Narnaware, who belongs to the 2009 batch of IAS officers, and Palghar Zilla Parishad’s Chief Executive Officer Milind Borikar (2010 batch) over the right to sanction development permissions outside the municipality’s limits. Both have staked claim on it, and are refusing to budge from their stance. While the CM-led Urban Development department had initially proposed to grant the power to the Collector, orders in this regard were not issued following Borikar’s objection to it. Borikar was with the CMO before his current assignment.

Unhappy Babu

Word is that former Thane Collector Mahendra Kalyankar (2007) is miffed with his transfer to the Labour department. CM Devendra Fadnavis replaced Kalyankar with his own Joint Secretary, Rajesh Narvekar, in the Collector’s office this past week. Sources said Kalyankar had been eyeing the Thane or Navi Mumbai civic commissioner’s post, but will have to settle for the joint secretary’s post with the Labour department for now. (Compiled by Sandeep Ashar)

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Narendra Modi