MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray received Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Pune airport on Friday. It was the two leaders’ first meeting after Thackeray broke away from ally BJP and formed a Shiv Sena-led Government in Maharashtra with the support of the Congress and NCP last month.

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi being welcome by Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray on his arrival at Pune airport on Friday. Home Minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis look on. (PTI) 

 

The Prime Minister will be attending the national conference of Director Generals and Inspector Generals of police which is being held in Pune.

 

After receiving the PM, Thackeray left for Mumbai, State Government officials said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis also greeted Modi at the airport.

 

Thackeray, Pawar discuss portfolio allocation: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar met here on Friday evening to discuss allocation of portfolios and expansion of the week-old Mahvikas Agadhi (MVA)Government in the State.

 

The meeting at Nehru Center was attended by Shiv Sena leaders Eknath Shinde, Sanjay Rautand Subhash Desai, and the NCP’s Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil, sources said.

 

Pawar stressed the need for allocation of portfolios to the ministers who were sworn-in with Thackeray on November 28 at the earliest, sources said.

 

Portfolio allocation is likely to happen on Monday, but before that another meeting could be held with Congress leaders, they added. The expansion of Council of Ministers will be done after the winter session of State Legislature, sources said.

 

It was decided that Thackeray will hold charge of the Home Ministry till then, they added.

A Cabinet meeting would be held on Saturday.