Amid session, Shinde meets Modi in Delhi, sparks buzz

Mumbai: Political circles were rife with speculation after deputy CM Eknath Shinde flew to Delhi late on Monday during the ongoing state legislature session and met PM Narendra Modi in Parliament the next day.The two held detailed discussions on a wide range of national and state-related issues. Shinde conveyed Shiv Sena's full and unequivocal support to the PM in view of the challenges posed by the West Asia crisis. The meeting, which was attended by Shiv Sena MPs, lasted over an hour. Matters related to Maharashtra's development were discussed at length. Later, while speaking to reporters, Shinde slammed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's criticism of govt, saying spreading misinformation and indulging in political commentary during a sensitive and war-like situation is deeply unfortunate and against national interest. He accused Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) of triggering panic by spreading rumours about gas shortage. Taking a dig at Shinde's visit, Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the "high command" of his party is not based in Mumbai and that although the faction continues to use the name ‘Shiv Sena', its leadership lies elsewhere. Shinde last visited Delhi in Oct 2025 ahead of the BMC election, the third such in four months.