Thaindian News

Mumbai, July 16 (IANS) Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray, admitted to the Lilavati Hospital here early Monday following chest pain, was discharged later in the evening, a party official said.

A feeble but cheerful Uddhav walked out of the hospital to a waiting vehicle in the evening and left for his Bandra (East) home ‘Matoshri’ even as thousands of anxious party workers and top leaders remained present outside the hospital premises all day long.

Uddhav underwent an angiography Monday afternoon in which a couple of blockages were detected in his heart. However, Sena officials refused to confirm or deny this.

Significantly, Uddhav was accompanied out of the hospital by his estranged cousin and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Chief Raj Thackeray.

The two warring cousins met publicly after nearly four years as Raj cancelled his trip to Alibaug in neighbouring Raigad district and rushed to Mumbai this afternoon upon hearing of Uddhav’s sudden illness.

Raj drove straight to the hospital and along with his mother, wife and other family members, visited Uddhav and enquired about his ailing cousin’s health.

The development was greeted in both parties with anticipation with some activists and political commentators terming it as an example of blood being thicker than politics.

Raj returned to the hospital a couple of hours later and had detailed discussions with the medicos on his cousin’s medical condition and related aspects.

In a magnanimous gesture, Raj personally drove Uddhav’s vehicle from Bandra (West) to Bandra (East), a two km distance and dropped his cousin home.

Later this evening, Raj is expected to meet his uncle and Shiv Sena president Bal Thackeray at the latter’s residence.

Senior Sena leader and former speaker of Lok Sabha Manohar Joshi, who also rushed to the hospital this morning, told media persons that Uddhav was out of danger and was “feeling fine”.

A party official spokesperson said it was a welcome step that the two cousins met Monday but declined to speculate on the political implications of the meeting.