Mumbai: At a time when the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is grappling with the issue of its chief ministerial candidate, the picture in the ruling Mahayuti is not different either. Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Friday that while the Mahayuti will contest Assembly elections under Eknath Shinde's leadership, he cannot say who will be the Chief Minister after the election.
Participating in a conclave organised by a regional news channel, Fadnavis said, the authority (to decide on CM) was with the parliamentary board of our party and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). There was no dispute among the alliance partners over the chief ministerial face, he added further.
Eknath Shinde is heading the state government and the person who holds the post of Chief Minister leads the election, said Fadnavis adding, the assembly election will be contested under the leadership of Eknath Shinde.
Fadnavis also made it clear that there were no differences among the partners in Mahayuti on the issue of CM. The BJP parliamentary board will take a decision on it after the assembly elections and it will be acceptable to all of us. Eknath Shinde is the head of the state, so we will go before the people under his leadership, Fadnavis reiterated.
When asked about any assurance given to Shinde by the central leadership on the CM's post after the elections, the reply given by Fadnavis was that if they have any discussion about this, it will come before us after some time and we will decide accordingly.
A Snipe At Uddhav Thackeray And The Reply By Aaditya
Fadnavis took some potshots at his arch political rival Uddhav Thackeray also. If there have been three-four faces in the mind of Sharad Pawar it surely not be that of Uddhav Thackeray, said the Dy CM. He was camping in Delhi for 3-4 days to get his name announced as the CM candidate but nothing was achieved.
Moreover, the Congress senior leader Sonia Gandhi did not allow him to click the picture of the meeting he had with her, Fadnavis claimed. Participating in the same conclave Aaditya Thackeray offered his reply on this. Taking a jibe, the former minister said, if it was not for Uddhav Thackeray, even Fadnavis's face is not before the Mahayuti leaders as the next CM.
When asked about his reaction Chief Minister Ekanth Shinde said, do your duty and do not worry about the results. I work hard, and don't think about the outcome. I do not think what I have achieved but rather what the state has received, he said. We are working as a team and will continue to do so, said the CM.
