Speaking on the condolence motion in the Legislative Assembly on Monday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray paid his respects to the former President Pranab Mukherjee on the first day of the state legislature’s monsoon session, according to reports from PTI.
Thackeray recollected the first time he met Mukherjee wherein the latter had visited his home ‘Matoshree’ with NCP chief Sharad Pawar as part of his campaign for the presidential polls.
“I realised he was a sensitive human being who treated others with respect. This is a rare quality,” he said.
He also recalls the time when he was asked to meet Mukherjee on his visit to Mumbai after becoming the President. “I went to the Raj Bhavan with Aaditya (Thackeray’s son) and Mukherjee told me he never thought he would be the president. ‘But the Shiv Sena openly supported my candidature and facilitated my win. Unfortunately, Balasaheb Thackeray is not with us now and my tenure is ending’,” the chief minister said recalling Mukherjee’s words.
The chief minister also paid tribute to former chief minister Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar, and former legislature members Anil Rathod, Chandrakanta Goyal among others, who died recently.
“The previous Sena-BJP alliance owed a lot to the Goyal family since several meetings would be held at her (Chandrakanta Goyal’s) residence. I remember Chandrakanta Tai and Ved Prakashji,” Thackeray said referring to Ved Prakash Goyal, who was the BJP’s treasurer for a long time.
While speaking on the condolence motion, opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis described him as an excellent parliamentarian and statesman. He also paid tributes to former chief minister Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar.
