Amid Congress-Sena fight, Priya Dutt meets Uddhav Thackeray

Former Congress MP Priya Dutt today called on Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, a day after suspected Sena workers pelted stones at a meeting organised by the Opposition party here.

Dutt arrived at ‘Matoshree’ (residence of Uddhav) in suburban Bandra in the afternoon and had about half an hour long meeting with the Sena chief, a source said.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of last night’s event in which a group of workers, allegedly belonging to Shiv Sena, pelted stones at a public gathering organised by Congress, where Mumbai unit chief of the party Sanjay Nirupam was also present.

Nirupam had organised the conclave in suburban Kandivali to highlight alleged corruption in Shiv Sena-BJP-ruled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as part of Congress’ “pol khol” (expose) campaign ahead of the next year’s civic elections.

Dutt, however, claimed she did not discuss anything political with Uddhav. “There was nothing political in our meeting. I met him owing to personal relation,” the former Congress MP told PTI.

Asked about the Dutt-Uddhav meeting, Nirupam said he was not aware of it. “I was not aware about the meeting though she has every right to meet anyone in personal capacity.  Still, I will speak to her on the issue (the meeting).”

Political observers think in the coming days Congress-Shiv Sena fight may turn ugly in the wake of the latter’s “pol khol” campaign.

Opposition Congress is targeting the saffron party by repeatedly referring to BJP Lok Sabha MP Kirit Somaiya’s remark about prevailing corruption in the country’s richest civic body.

Last week, Somaiya had said “there was widespread corruption in the BMC and it was in the grip of a powerful mafia controlled by a saheb from Bandra, his brother-in-law and his PA.”

Latching on the remark, Mumbai Congress yesterday filed a police complaint demanding registration of an FIR against unnamed persons, including “a saheb from Bandra”, over alleged graft in the BMC.