Maharashtra: Eknath Shinde calls on two Shiv Sena veterans, including ex-CM Manohar Joshi

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday called on veteran Shiv Sena leaders Manohar Joshi and Leeladhar Dake here to inquire about their health.

Joshi, who is in his eighties, was the chief minister during the first Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state in 1995-99, while Dake was a minister in that dispensation.

A statement issued by Shinde's office said the chief minister visited Dake at his house in Chembur in the morning before meeting Joshi at the latter's office at Dadar in central Mumbai.

"Shinde inquired about their health and well-being, and took their blessings. Both the senior leaders were happy that an ordinary Shiv Sainik has become the chief minister, and guided him," the statement said.

Shinde had last month raised a banner of revolt against the Sena leadership. His rebellion, in which 40 out of the 55 Sena MLAs supported him, led to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led three-party Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government on June 29. The next day, Shinde took oath as the chief minister with Bharatiya Janata Party's senior leader Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy.