India, July 21 -- The 20-minute meeting between chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray in the chamber of legislative council chairman Ram Shinde last Thursday has become the single most important event in the state's political scenario since the last assembly elections. According to insiders, the meeting was not spontaneous but a pre-planned one, a follow-up to Thackeray's son Aaditya's meeting with Fadnavis on an earlier occasion. Even Shinde was not in his chamber when Thackeray met Fadnavis with Aaditya in tow. Two days later, Fadnavis and Aaditya happened to be at a BKC hotel at the same time.

Both Thackerays as well as Fadnavis have ensured that they are not accompanied by senior leaders from the...