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No secret meeting between Uddhav-Pawar: Bal Thackeray

Last updated on: February 20, 2009 21:23 IST

The Shiv Sena chief, Bal Thackeray on Friday set to rest speculations that his son and party executive president Uddhav Thackeray had met the Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar to discuss a possible alliance in Maharashtra between the parties.

"I wonder how did the media come to know of the secret meeting which never took place. I have never done anything secretly," Bal Thackeray wrote in an editorial in his party mouthpiece Saamana.

He said he has 40 years of association with Pawar. "We don't require a secret place to meet. Pawar came to my house to enquire about my health last year. This was not a secret meeting. But, still all kinds of speculations were raised. Nothing happened," Thackeray said.

Praising Pawar's leadership qualities, Thackeray said he had the capability to lead the nation. In his inimitable style laced with humour, the octogenarian leader said, "If I speak some good words about my family friend, my dear Kamalabai (BJP's election symbol Kamal (lotus)) need not get angry."