'Targeted As I Am Brahmin': Maha Dy CM Fadnavis On 'People Playing Politics In The Name Of Maratha Community'

“I am being targeted because I am a Brahmin, but I cannot change my caste. People who only played politics in the name of the Maratha community are targeting me. They know I am a soft target,” Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Saturday against the backdrop of the agitation for Maratha reservation that the government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is striving to resolve. “Actually there is only one reason to target me. I gave reservation, which is valid under the law,” Fadnavis said.

Fadnavis says he is being targeted

“A lot of politics has been done in the name of the Maratha community. Those who have done nothing for the Maratha community are targeting me. Those who are doing politics in the name of the Maratha community feel that I am a soft target,” he said. Fadnavis also refuted speculation about a leadership change in the state and dubbed it “intellectual bankruptcy”.

“One who wants to come to power doesn't announce it over social media. Hence, I say that all the speculation about it is intellectual bankruptcy,” Fadnavis said. “It was the act of a politically naive young social media executive who operated the official handle for the state BJP. There was no need to read too much into it,” he said when asked about his old video being played on the official twitter handle of the state BJP unit at an interview to a regional news channel.

Next elections will be contested under the Shinde’s leadership, says Fadnavis

Fadnavis reiterated his party’s stand that the next elections will be contested under the Shinde’s leadership. “Our MahaYuti government is here to stay. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde shall complete his whole tenure — not even a day less — and we shall contest elections under his leadership and win with flying colours,” he said. “The video was deleted to avoid further speculation and controversy,” the Deputy Chief Minister said refuting speculation that there was any pressure on the party to delete the video. “We are a closely knit alliance and the communication among us is good,” he said.

“Speculation about disqualification is being fuelled by the Shiv Sena (UBT)"

Fadnavis also made it clear that the government stands on a very firm foundation despite some obvious challenges of having to run a three-party coalition. There is hardly any chance for Shinde and the members of his group being disqualified, he said, adding that there is no danger to the government. “Speculation about disqualification is being fuelled by the Shiv Sena (UBT) to keep the flock together,” Fadnavis said.

Ajit Pawar was told Shinde would remain CM

“Ajit Pawar was promised the Deputy Chief Minister’s post and we have kept the promise. It was made clear to him that Shinde shall remain Chief Minister and he has agreed to it,” he said. Fadnavis also refuted the claim that most of the MLAs who supported the government have ED or CBI cases against them.

“Some of them might have some cases. But, more than that they were seeing the misdeeds of the government under Uddhav Thackeray and hence they came with us. They came for development,” he said. Fadnavis also hit out at Sharad Pawar for saying that if he had 110 MLAs behind him, he would have formed a separate government.