Maharashtra Polls: Will BJP Get CM Post After Assembly Elections? Fadnavis Responds

Fadnavis said that the Mahayuti does not need to announce the candidate for the Chief Minister's post.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde along with Dy CMs Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar during a press conference. (Photo: PTI)

Maharashtra Assembly Elections: Day after the Election Commission announced dates of the upcoming Assembly polls in Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis cleared the air on the face of the Chief Minister's face of the ruling alliance Mahayuti.

Fadnavis said that the Mahayuti does not need to announce the candidate for the CM post, as Eknath Shinde has already been designated for the post.

Fadnavis addressed a joint press conference along with CM Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar, and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, the Deputy Maharashtra Chief Minister said, "The Mahayuti doesn't have to announce a CM face; our chief minister is sitting here. I challenge Pawar Saheb to announce their face for the CM post."

During the press conference, Maharashtra CM Shinde, along with allies, presented a report card of his government's work. The state assembly polls are scheduled for November 20, and votes will be counted on November 23.

Fadnavis took a swipe at the opposition alliance, saying that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is not declaring their CM face as they are not confident that their CM will come at the helm of affairs after the polls.

"Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is not announcing CM face as they don't think their CM can come after elections," he said. During the press conference, the Maharashtra CM also slammed the opposition MVA and accused it of working with an anti-development vision.

His deputy Fadnavis continued his attack at the MVA and said, "The alliance (Maha Vikas Aghadi), whose home minister went to jail for accepting a bribe of Rs 100 crore, who planted bombs outside a businessman's house, who were picking up journalists and putting them behind bars, are telling us about the law and order situation. Nirbhaya Squad vehicles were being used to escort their leaders in their government. These people who were the most careless about women's safety and security should not teach us how to keep our Nari Shakti safe."

He further stated, "We have announced all the schemes, made all the financial provisions and budget for those schemes, and not only this, but we will also announce some new schemes and benefits for everyone in our manifesto."

"I assure you that all the schemes and promises announced by us will have full support of financial provision, and no scheme will lack financial support from our side. Initially, when we announced the Ladki Bahin Yojana, people from the opposition were claiming that money would not be deposited in the accounts, but till now at least 4 to 5 instalments have been deposited in the accounts of more than 2.5 crore beneficiaries of our state," he said.

During the press conference, Fadnavis also stated that on seat-sharing among the Mahayuti partners, Fadnavis said it (discussion) has reached the final stages but added the formula cannot be revealed now.

The Mahayuti allies presented a report card of the government's work in the last two years, as Shinde, Fadnavis, and Pawar accused the opposition of creating a fake narrative.

Elaborating about the report cared of the ruling alliance in the state, which compared the work done by the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi dispensation and the current Mahayuti government, Shinde said the ruling alliance was ready to go to the people's court.

The opposition MVA works with an anti-development vision," the CM said, accusing the opposition of defaming Maharashtra. The ruling alliance comprises the Congress, Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT), and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP).

Without taking names of his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray or his son and former minister Aaditya Thackeray, Shinde said the cost of the Metro project (in Mumbai) rose by Rs 14,000 crore as the Aarey car shed was opposed due to "bal hatta" (insistence of a child) and arrogance. All development works, like the high-speed Mumbai-Ahmedabad railway (bullet train) project, were stopped by the previous MVA government, he said.

(With agencies inputs)