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Tag: Devendra Fadnavis

  • ‘Forgiveness is my revenge’: Fadnavis on trolls over ‘I will return’ remark during 2019 Maharashtra polls

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who faced trolling over his impassioned “I will return” assertion before the 2019 state Assembly polls, on Monday said he will avenge such trolls by forgiving them.

    Fadnavis made the statement in the state Assembly after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde won the floor test in the House during the last day of the two-day special session of the Assembly.

    Before the Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019, senior BJP leader and former CM Fadnavis said “Me punha yein” (I will return), which had evoked many social media memes.

    After the polls, the Shiv Sena snapped ties with the BJP over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post.

    The Sena had then tied-up with the NCP and Congress to form government.

    Last month, Shinde launched a rebellion against the Sena.

    Majority of MLAs sided with him, which led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray.

    On June 30, Shinde was sworn in as the chief minister of Maharashtra, while Fadnavis took oath as the deputy CM Speaking in the House on Monday, Fadnavis said, “I have been trolled severely for my remark that ‘I will return’. I am going to take revenge against the trolls by forgiving them.”

    He also said when some MLAs were voting (during the floor test), members from the opposition benches shouted “ED, ED”.

    “It is true the new government is formed by ED, which stands for Eknath and Devendra,” the BJP leader remarked.

    Without taking the name of former CM Uddhav Thackeray, Fadnavis claimed Maharashtra witnessed a “deficit of leadership availability” in the last few years.

    “But, there are two leaders in the House (Shinde and himself), who will always be available for people,” Fadnavis said.

  • Shinde-Fadnavis government passes Maharashtra floor test; one more Shiv Sena MLA joins rebel camp

    By Online Desk

    MUMBAI: The Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government on Monday passed the floor Test in Maharashtra Assembly.

    Ahead of the trust vote, one more Shiv Sena MLA from the Uddhav Thackeray camp joined CM Shinde’s faction, taking its tally to 40.

    The Shiv Sena currently has 55 MLAs in the 288-member state Assembly.

    Santosh Bangar, the MLA from Kalamnuri in Hingoli district, on Monday morning switched over to the Shinde camp.

    Earlier, in a jolt to Uddhav Thackeray ahead of the Eknath Shinde-led government’s floor test, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar had on Sunday reinstated Shinde as the Shiv Sena legislature party leader, removing Ajay Chaudhary.

    Narvekar also recognised the appointment of Bharat Gogawale from the Shinde camp as the chief whip of the Sena, removing Sunil Prabhu, who belongs to the Thackeray faction.

    The development comes as a major setback to the Thackeray faction, which will be bound by the whip to be issued by Gogawale for the trust vote.

    If these MLAs refuse to follow the whip, they face disqualification.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • BJP curveball: Shinde CM, Fadnavis Deputy

    Express News Service

    MUMBAI: With the BJP on Thursday pulling off a massive surprise by offering the chief minister’s post to rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and persuading a reluctant Devendra Fadnavis to be his deputy, it appears to have killed multiple birds in one stone. From his humble beginnings as an auto driver to that of the CM, the rise of the four-time MLA and twice minister has indeed been meteoric.Also read: Eknath Shinde: Former auto driver and Sena street fighter now in driving seat in MaharashtraAt the oath-taking ceremony, Shinde invoked Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and Anand Dighe saying his government will follow in their footsteps. Sources saw in the day’s developments a masterstroke by Union home minister Amit Shah.

    “By making Shinde the CM, the BJP has not just engineered a vertical split in elected representatives of the Shiv Sena, it also divided the party. More importantly, it has diminished the Thackeray brand and reduced him to a caricature. And Shinde will be controlled by the top leadership of the BJP for future manoeuvres,” said a source requesting anonymity.

    Besides, Shah clipped the wings of Fadnavis, the source said. “Fadnavis was CM from 2014 to 2019. He was also projected as a potential prime ministerial candidate after Narendra Modi. And he has tacit support from the RSS. He was not ready to work as Shinde’s No 2. But Shah persuaded Modi that the Shinde-Fadnavis team would be best in the larger interests of the BJP in Maratha dominated Maharashtra.

    Modi then called Fadnavis and persuaded him to take the job.” Shinde was light-weight minister in the Fadnavis cabinet earlier. The roles reversed on Thursday with Shinde becoming his boss. Fadnavis was hoping to be the new CM. “But it appears that the party leadership decided to not only rub salt on his wounds but also humiliate him by asking him to be deputy CM,” sources said.

    Pawar quip on FadnavisNCP chief Sharad Pawar said the body language of Devendra Fadnavis showed he was not happy with being asked to be the deputy CM but accepted it against his will because of the discipline RSS inculcated in him. He also said drawing as many as 38 Shiv Sena rebels is not easy but Eknath Shinde pulled it off. “I have spoken with him over the phone and congratulated him.”

  • BJP curveball: Eknath Shinde new Maharashtra CM, Fadnavis Deputy as Uddhav gets cornered further

    Express News Service

    MUMBAI: With the BJP on Thursday pulling off a massive surprise by offering the chief minister’s post to rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and persuading a reluctant Devendra Fadnavis to be his deputy, it appears to have killed multiple birds in one stone.

    From his humble beginnings as an auto driver to that of the CM, the rise of the four-time MLA and twice minister has indeed been meteoric.Also read: Eknath Shinde: Former auto driver and Sena street fighter now in driving seat in MaharashtraAt the oath-taking ceremony, Shinde invoked Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and Anand Dighe saying his government will follow in their footsteps. Sources saw in the day’s developments a masterstroke by Union home minister Amit Shah.

    “By making Shinde the CM, the BJP has not just engineered a vertical split in elected representatives of the Shiv Sena, it also divided the party. More importantly, it has diminished the Thackeray brand and reduced him to a caricature. And Shinde will be controlled by the top leadership of the BJP for future manoeuvres,” said a source requesting anonymity.

    Besides, Shah clipped the wings of Fadnavis, the source said.

    “Fadnavis was CM from 2014 to 2019. He was also projected as a potential prime ministerial candidate after Narendra Modi. And he has tacit support from the RSS. He was not ready to work as Shinde’s No 2. But Shah persuaded Modi that the Shinde-Fadnavis team would be best in the larger interests of the BJP in Maratha-dominated Maharashtra. Modi then called Fadnavis and persuaded him to take the job.”

    Shinde was lightweight minister in the Fadnavis cabinet earlier. The roles reversed on Thursday with Shinde becoming his boss.

    Fadnavis was hoping to be the new CM.

    “But it appears that the party leadership decided to not only rub salt on his wounds but also humiliate him by asking him to be deputy CM,” sources said.

    Pawar quip on Fadnavis

    NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the body language of Devendra Fadnavis showed he was not happy with being asked to be the deputy CM but accepted it against his will because of the discipline RSS inculcated in him.

    He also said drawing as many as 38 Shiv Sena rebels is not easy but Eknath Shinde pulled it off.

    “I have spoken with him over the phone and congratulated him.”

  • Fadnavis didn’t seem happy accepting Deputy CM’s post but followed orders: Sharad Pawar

    By PTI

    PUNE: NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday claimed that BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis did not appear to be happy while accepting the deputy chief minister’s post in Eknath Shinde’s government.

    While rebel Shiv Sena leader Shinde was sworn in as the new chief minister of Maharashtra following the collapse of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government, Fadnavis, a former CM who had said he would remain outside, took oath as Shinde’s deputy.

    “I think Fadnavis has not accepted the number two position happily. His facial expression said it all,” Pawar told reporters in Pune.

    ALSO READ| The Eknath Shinde story: Auto driver who shook Shiv Sena’s foundations

    “(But) He is from Nagpur and he has worked as a `swayamsevak’ (with the RSS) and there, when an order comes, it has to be followed,” the NCP chief said, adding that Fadnavis might have accepted a junior position due to this ‘sanskar’ (values).

    He also spoke about the alleged misuse of central agencies under the BJP government, claiming that he received “love letters” from the Income Tax department regarding his election affidavits in 2004, 2009 and 2014.

    Pawar also said that the Eknath Shinde faction, which was camping in Guwahati after rebelling against the Uddhav Thackeray government, had not expected that their leader would become anything more than a deputy CM.

    “But after the BJP’s central leadership gave the orders, chief minister’s post was given to Shinde. Nobody had an inkling about it. I think Shinde himself had no idea. The second surprise, which I do not think is a surprise really, is that Devendra Fadnavis, who worked as CM for five years and then opposition leader, had to take the post of Deputy CM following directions from the central leadership,” said Pawar.

    He, however, noted that there have been such instances in the past too.

    ALSO READ | Did a film screening foretell the Eknath Shinde-Uddhav Thackeray split?

    Pawar also rejected rebel Sena MLAs’ claims that the Sena’s tie-up with NCP and Congress was the primary reason for their rebellion.

    ““This allegation is baseless. It has no connection with NCP and Congress. Something has to be told to people (as an excuse), which is why NCP and Congress are being blamed,” he said.

    Pawar also said that he spoke to Shinde and congratulated him. “Once a person becomes chief minister, he is the CM of the state. He becomes the head of the state and I expect that he would work towards solving the issues of people,” the NCP chief said.

    Asked about the collapse of the MVA government and what went wrong, Pawar said the Uddhav Thackeray-led government had not fallen short on any front.

    “Shinde showed the capability of taking away 39 MLAs, and the success (of his rebellion) lies there. I learnt that the preparation for this was going on for long, as travelling to Surat, from there to Guwahati and then to Goa, these arrangements do not take place suddenly,” he said.

    As to questions being raised about Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership, Pawar said once the Shiv Sena chief reposed faith in someone, he gave that person full responsibility.

    “We saw that he had given all the responsibility of the party organization and Legislative Assembly to Shinde. He (Shinde) was given the reins, and I do not know if this development was the fall-out,” the NCP chief said.

    Asked about parallels being drawn between the developments of 45 years ago when he toppled the Vasantdada Patil government and became chief minister, Pawar said there were no complications like today then.

    “We just decided and told Vasantdada that they (the MLAs in Pawar’s group) wanted to resign, and after that, he also resigned,” Pawar said.

    About the Supreme Court allowing a floor test to proceed in Maharashtra, Pawar said the BJP and Shinde faction had a majority, and once such a situation becomes clear, it should be accepted.

    “Uddhav Thackeray, after realising that he has lost majority, resigned gracefully,” he added.

    About accusations that Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut was responsible for the implosion within the party, Pawar said the Shiv Sena was not finished yet, and cited the examples of past rebellions which it survived.

    The biggest challenge before the new government would be to gain “credibility” and people’s faith, the veteran politician said.

    Asked if the MVA alliance will continue in the coming polls in Maharashtra, Pawar said that no decision has been taken in this regard yet.

  • Eknath Shinde takes oath as Maharashtra CM, Devendra Fadnavis his deputy

    By Online Desk

    Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on Thursday took oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy, a day after Uddhav Thackeray announced his resignation from the top post bringing to an end the 31-month-old Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

    On the request of BJP president JP Nadda, Fadnavis had decided to join the government in the interest of the state, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday evening.

    During a press meet earlier in the day, Fadnavis had said that BJP would support a new minority government led by Shiv Sena rebel group leader Eknath Shinde, who will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

    The meteoric rise of Shinde rivals Bollywood’s film scripts. An auto-driver with humble beginnings, he went on to become the right hand man of party chief Uddhav Thackeray, and his nemesis.

    Shinde is a four-time MLA and two-time minister. Skilled in organising people and events, Shinde’s spark was discovered and initially used by Sena’s Thane district president Nanad Dighe. That’s how auto-driver Shinde started driving Dighe’s car.

    He then became the eyes and ears of Dighe, who used to be known as the “king of Thane”. Closeness with Dighe helped him get elected as a corporator in the Thane Municipal Corporation. Subsequently, Shinde became an MLA and the rest is history. Over the time, he reportedly amassed huge wealth and clout in the party. In the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray, Shinde was handling plum portfolios of urban development and state road transport.

    In 2019, when Sena was bargaining with the BJP over sharing of power, Shinde was dreaming of deputy chief minister post. That dream was clipped when Uddhav Thackeray decided to form government with the help of NCP and Congress.

  • Eknath Shinde takes oath as Maharashtra CM, Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy

    By Online Desk

    Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde was on Thursday sworn in as Maharashtra chief minister, while BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis took oath as deputy chief minister.

    Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari administered the oath of office to them at Raj Bhavan in south Mumbai shortly after 7.30 pm.

    Shinde began by paying tributes to late Shiv Sena leaders Bal Thackeray and Anand Dighe. His supporters shouted slogans hailing Thackeray and Dighe as he finished taking the oath.

    Earlier on Thursday, BJP president J P Nadda said Fadnavis would be part of the new Maharashtra cabinet led by Shinde, minutes after Fadnavis announced he will not be in the government.

    Fadnavis had sprang a surprise when he announced that Shinde will be the next chief minister.

    His announcement defied expectations that he would return to the post with the support of the Shinde faction.

    “Development of the state is my priority. I will take all sections of society along with me,” Shinde told after the ceremony.

    The meteoric rise of Shinde rivals Bollywood’s film scripts. An auto-driver with humble beginnings, he went on to become the right hand man of party chief Uddhav Thackeray, and his nemesis.

    WATCH |

    Shinde is a four-time MLA and two-time minister. Skilled in organising people and events, Shinde’s spark was discovered and initially used by Sena’s Thane district president Nanad Dighe. That’s how auto-driver Shinde started driving Dighe’s car.

    He then became the eyes and ears of Dighe, who used to be known as the “king of Thane”. Closeness with Dighe helped him get elected as a corporator in the Thane Municipal Corporation. Subsequently, Shinde became an MLA and the rest is history. Over the time, he reportedly amassed huge wealth and clout in the party. In the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray, Shinde was handling plum portfolios of urban development and state road transport.

    In 2019, when Sena was bargaining with the BJP over sharing of power, Shinde was dreaming of deputy chief minister post. That dream was clipped when Uddhav Thackeray decided to form government with the help of NCP and Congress.

  • Devendra Fadnavis will join Maharashtra government in state’s interest: Amit Shah

    By Online Desk

    On the request of BJP president JP Nadda, party leader in Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis has decided to join the government in the interest of the state, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday evening.

    During a press meet earlier in the day, Fadnavis had said that BJP would support a new minority government led by Shiv Sena rebel group leader Eknath Shinde, who will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

    Then it was considered to be a foregone conclusion that Fadnavis will become the CM for the third time, in alliance with the Shinde-led Sena rebels.

    Fadnavis had sprang a surprise when he announced that Shinde will be the next chief minister.

    His announcement defied expectations that he would return to the post with the support of the Shinde faction.

    The BJP will extend support to Shinde’s group, said Fadnavis, a former chief minister and currently Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, while adding that he would be out of government but will ensure its smooth functioning.

    However, soon Nadda tweeted that Fadnavis will be part of the government “Devendra Fadnavis has shown big heart and decided to join the new Maharashtra cabinet,” Nadda said and added that it has been proved that BJP never had a desire for chief minister’s post and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray left their alliance “for greed” of this post.

    This is a breaking news. The story will be updated soon

  • ‘Fadnavis, Shinde will decide further actions’: State BJP chief amid celebrations in saffron camp

    By Online Desk

    MUMBAI: BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde will now decide the next court of action, state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil said on Wednesday night.

    CM Uddhav Thackeray resigned earlier in the evening, a day before a scheduled floor test in the state Assembly.

    The state BJP unit has asked all its MLAs to gather in Mumbai. To a question about the BJP’s next move, as it is the single largest party in the Maharashtra legislative assembly, Patil said, “The next steps will be decided by Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde.”

    He also said BJP workers “should observe restraint in victory.”

    ALSO READ | ‘Not going away forever, will again sit in Sena Bhavan’: Uddhav’s parting note as CM

    Fadnavis told reporters that “I will tell the party’s stand tomorrow for sure.”

    There will be another round of meeting at the official residence of Fadnavis later tonight, sources said.

    Meanwhile, several BJP legislators and senior leaders gathered at the residence of Fadnavis in Mumbai and congratulated each other over the collapse of the MVA government following the resignation of Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.

    Many of them said that Fadnavis will soon helm the state.

    Former minister and BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, “the truth prevailed, finally”.

    “Fadnavis always used to say that he will return to the House. Now, it’s time. He will come back as the chief minister of Maharashtra,” BJP MLA Nitesh Rane said.

    State party president Chandrakant Patil fed sweets to Fadnavis. Senior BJP leaders Sudhir Mungantiwar and Girish Mahajan were also present.

  • Maharashtra crisis: Uddhav Thackeray has lost majority, floor test imperative, says BJP to Governor

    Express News Service

    MUMBAI: The delegation of BJP leaders that includes Leader of Opposition and BJP MLA Devendra Fadnavis met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshayari on Tuesday and requested to ask the Uddhav Thackeray government to go for the floor test because it has lost the majority.

    The BJP delegations including Devendra Fadnavis, Ashish Shelar, Pravin Darekar, et al met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshayari and conveyed him to call the special session and tell Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray that he has lost the majority and floor test should be called. 

    After meeting with Governor, Devendra Fadnavis said, as per the news in media, it seems Shiv Sena’s 39 MLAs are not happy with Maha Vikas Aghadi and they pulled out from this government. He said after this decision of Sena MLA, the Uddhav Thackeray government is in the minority so he should be asked to floor the majority on the floor of the house.

    “We met the Governor and conveyed to him the current political situation of Maharashtra. Now, he has to take the decisions. We also conveyed that as per various supreme court ruling, he can call the special session,” said Fadnavis.

    Sources said that the Governor will seek the legal opinion and take the decisions over conveying special session of the Maharashtra state assembly. 

    Earlier in the day, Devendra Fadnavis was in Delhi and met Union home minister Amit Shah along with senior counsel Mahesh Jethmalani and others leaders to discuss the political situation and further strategy to form the government in Maharashtra. Devendra Fadnavis before meeting to Governor had called senior BJP leaders and discussed various options. Besides, the Eknath Shinde camp also called all Rebelled Sena MLA’s meetings at Radisson Blu Hotel in Guwahati to discuss political developments. Shinde camp discussed whether to leave Mumbai or wait for a few more days till Governor convey the special session.

    Meanwhile, one unsigned letter of Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshayari asked Vidhan Bhavan’s secretary to call the special session and ask Uddhav Thackeray to prove his majority on the floor of the house on June 30. However, Governor’s office denied such a letter and termed it a fake letter.

    Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday after the cabinet meeting denied stepping down, he said that they will fight the legal battle if BJP brings no-confidence motion against them.