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Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray has not been invited to any of the ‘Make in India’ week events to be held in Mumbai where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside, including the gala dinner of February 13, though he will be a part of other programmes.
Modi will be arriving in Mumbai on Friday to inaugurate the ‘Make in India’ event at the MMRDA grounds in Bandra Kurla Complex followed by an event at National Sports Club ground in Worli.
He will preside over a dinner in evening at Turf Club at Mahalaxmi Race Course.
Maharashtra Chief Secretary Swadheen Kshatriya said around 800 dignitaries from the country and abroad have been invited for the dinner.
The guests include prime ministers from various countries, industrialists, select politicians and top government officials.
When asked on Thackeray’s absence from the dinner, a senior Shiv Sena leader requesting anonymity said, “Uddhav ji has not been invited for the dinner. Times have changed. During Atal ji’s tenure (as the PM), (late Sena president) Balasaheb (Thackeray) used to be invited and they used to dine together.”
A Bharatiya Janata Party leader, however, said the chief of their ally was invited keeping in mind the protocol.
“There would be guests from foreign countries like PMs of countries and business tycoons. It was not in the protocol to invite Uddhav Thackeray. Moreover, the dinner is organised by the Confederation of India Industry and is not a political function,” the leader said.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister’s Office in a release issued said Thackeray will attend three programs.
He will be chief guest at Maharashtra Rajani, a cultural program scheduled at Girgaum Chowpaty on February 14, and Maharashtra pavilion on February 15.
Thackeray will be a guest in panel discussion on ‘Make in Mumbai’ on the concluding day on February 18.
Image: The 'Make in India' symbol 'The Lion' statue in Mumbai's Bandra ahead of the grand event. Photograph: Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com