BJP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said that it is his responsibility to ensure that Eknath Shinde is a successful CM.
While interacting with media in his hometown Nagpur, Fadnavis said, "We made Shiv Sena CM for ideology."
"It was my proposal to make Shinde the CM but senior party leaders insisted that govt won't run if I stayed out of it, so I accepted the Dy CM post on their command," he added.
On his first visit to his hometown Nagpur after the formation of the new government, BJP workers accorded a grand welcome to Fadnavis, a former chief minister.
"Had I requested, I could have become the CM.We made Shiv Sena CM for ideology...It was my proposal to make Shinde the CM..but senior party leaders insisted that govt won't run if I stayed out of it, so I accepted the Dy CM post on their command," Fadnavis was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Fadnavis also earlier in the day slammed the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, saying it had no connect with common citizens as he arrived in his hometown Nagpur on his first visit after assuming charge of his new office and was accorded a grand welcome by BJP workers.
From the city airport, the BJP leader embarked on a 'jallosh yatra' (victory procession) organised by his supporters.
The hoardings and banners put up on the yatra route had photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president JP Nadda, Nagpur MP and Union minister Nitin Gadkari and some other leaders, but the picture of Shah was missing from them, raising eyebrows.
Asked why Shah's photo was missing from the hoardings and banners, Nagpur BJP spokesperson Chandan Goswami sought to downplay the issue, saying the party has huge respect for the Union Home Minister.
Fadnavis thanked PM Modi and Nadda for giving him respect and making him the Deputy CM.
The BJP leader said he obeyed the party's command and agreed to become No. 2 in the newly-formed Shinde cabinet.
Fadnavis had initially said he will not be a part of the Shinde government, but later changed his stand following an intervention by the BJP's central leadership and took oath as the Deputy CM.
The BJP leader said his party will come to power with full majority in the next state elections.
