Mumbai: The State Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde will continue to be the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and there will be no change of guard in the state.
Fadnavis was responding to Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan’s claim that NCP stalwart and incumbent Deputy CM Ajit Pawar will be appointed as the Chief Minister around August 10 replacing Shinde.
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Thursday 09 Jan. 2025
Ajit Pawar is well aware of the fact that he would not become the Chief Minister and the same was conveyed to him during meetings held before July 2, Fadnavis claimed.
Earlier in the day, Chavan told a regional news channel that a decision on the disqualification of CM Shinde and 15 other MLAs of Shiv Sena will be taken around August 10.
“After deciding the disqualification of Shinde and other MLAs, incumbent Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar would be anointed as the Chief Minister around August 10,” Prithviraj Chavan said.
Chavan also claimed that the BJP is not keen on contesting the next Lok Sabha elections under Shinde “as he wields no influence outside his home district of Thane”.
“The BJP now has an alternative in Ajit Pawar. This is the fate of Shinde. The understanding of top BJP leadership indicates they want to make Ajit Pawar the Chief Minister and face elections,” he added.
Responding to Chavan’s claim, Fadnavis said, “As a leader of the single largest party (BJP) in ‘Mahayuti’ (grand alliance), I am officially telling you that Ajit Pawar will not become the Chief Minister of Maharashtra”.
He said the Cabinet may be expanded by August 10 and nothing else. “When meetings of ‘Mahayuti’ took place (before the July 2 induction of the NCP faction in the government), Ajit Pawar was given a clear picture that he would not get the post of Chief Minister,” the Deputy Chief Minister told reporters.
Fadnavis claimed a clear picture was presented to Ajit Pawar about the power-sharing formula and he had agreed to it. “He (Ajit) not only agreed to it but also made it clear in his speech that there is no discussion on changing the guard in Maharashtra,” he said.
Fadnavis snubbed Prithviraj Chavan for allegedly peddling rumours. “They should stop confusing people about ‘Mahayuti’. Leaders are not confused but party workers do get perplexed. People like Prithviraj Chavan are spreading rumours. If something is going to happen by August 10, it would be the expansion of the State Cabinet. The CM will take a call on it,” he said.
Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs of the Nationalist Congress Party joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government on July 2. While Ajit Pawar took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister, the MLAs were sworn in as ministers. Later, the crucial finance department was allotted to the nephew of Sharad Pawar.
Shinde had said Ajit Pawar’s entry into the government posed no threat to him.
