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Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister also attacked NCP veteran Sharad Pawar, saying breaking parties was his “specialty”
Devendra Fadnavis (PTI)
“Rajneeti mein jo padd mil jaaye woh le lena chahiye [In politics, whatever post you get, you should take],” Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday, seemingly ending speculations over his chief ministerial ambitions if the Mahayuti comes to power in the upcoming assembly elections.
In an exclusive interview with CNN-News18, Fadnavis said: “The party will decide my responsibility. Home Minister Amit Shah has specifically said the chief minister’s post will be discussed after the elections.”
Taking potshots at the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, the BJP leader said he was confident that the Mahayuti will return to power. “In the Lok Sabha elections, we witnessed attempts to mislead voters with a narrative of ‘Vote Jihad’, including false claims that the Constitution would be abolished. Fatwas were issued, and religious sentiments were invoked, with oaths taken in the name of Allah to influence voters. However, Muslims are also benefiting from government schemes, including programmes like the Ladki Bahin Yojana. The so-called secular parties have done nothing for the Muslim community… woh aaj bhi puncture lagane kaa kaam kar rahe hai [they are still doing menial jobs like fixing punctures].”
Fadnavis also attacked NCP veteran Sharad Pawar, saying breaking parties was his “specialty”. “He has broken six parties. Sharad Pawar wanted Supriya Sule to become the chief minister, while Ajit Pawar is left with nothing. These parties broke up because of a family issue,” he added.
He also trained guns on AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, saying the BJP will give him a “befitting reply” if he “comes here and praises Aurangzeb or the Razakars”. “Aurangzeb was an invader. Indian Muslims do not idolise Aurangzeb,” he said.
Asked about buzz of skirmishes within the Mahayuti, Fadnavis clarified that all was well. “Ajit Pawar has had different experiences and sentiments in his political journey, and he may have misunderstood the phrase ‘batenge toh katenge’. We will clarify this with him. Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena have fielded Muslim candidates while we did not, simply because we didn’t have suitable candidates from the Muslim community.”
The deputy CM also said there was no lack of coordination in the Mahayuti. “During elections, all of us are expected to campaign. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi told us that we don’t need to attend his rallies.”
While Fadnavis reminded that he had ensured reservation for Marathas when he was the chief minister, he said any party promising reservation on religious grounds was misleading voters. “Muslim reservation goes against the principles of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar who said there should be no reservation based on religion.”
