PM Narendra Modi, Uddhav Thackeray to share stage at Latur tomorrow

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray will address their first joint public meeting at Ausa in Latur district on Tuesday.

BJP leaders said Uddhav and his elder son and Yuva Sena chief Aaditya are likely to be present at the rally to be held at Ausa road, over 500 km from the city, in the state's dust bowl of Marathwada.

"The rally is being held for the two constituencies of Latur and Osmanabad. Aaditya is also likely to attend along with Uddhav," said a BJP leader from Latur.

In Latur, the BJP has dropped incumbent MP Sunil Gaikwad to nominate Sudhakar Shrungare, who will take on Macchindra Kamble of the Congress in the constituency which was once dominated by former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. In Osmanabad, the Shiv Sena has done likewise — it has opted for former legislator Omraje Nimbalkar over its sitting MP Ravindra Gaikwad. Nimbalkar will clash with relative-turned-foe Rana Jagjitsinh Patil, an NCP leader and a former MP, and son of local strongman and ex-minister Dr Padamsinh Patil.

The two parties are likely to face a blow-back from supporters loyal to the dropped MPs on both seats.

The Shiv Sena, which had claimed would contest the Lok Sabha polls alone, sans a tie-up with the BJP, made a u-turn and announced an alliance with the party. Uddhav was also present when BJP national president Amit Shah filled his nomination from the Gandhinagar seat in Gujarat, which was once represented by BJP veteran and former deputy prime minister LK Advani.