edited by: nitya thirumalai
Last Update: February 14, 2023, 10:55 IST
In a dramatic development, Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as chief minister in 2019 after talks of an alliance with the Shiv Sena broke down. NCP leader and Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister. (PTI/FILE)
This statement has sparked a war of words between BJP and NCP, Sharad Pawar has hit back at Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has sent shockwaves across Maharashtra politics with a statement that his swearing-in as CM early in the morning after the 2019 elections was done with the consent of NCP chief Sharad Pawar.
In a dramatic development, Fadnavis was sworn in as chief minister in 2019 after alliance talks with the Shiv Sena broke down. NCP leader and Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister at the Raj Bhavan, but both had to resign after three. As days passed, Pawar could not garner enough MLAs from the NCP.
It was one of the shortest ever governments in Maharashtra and helped to remove President’s rule in the state, paving the way for the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP coalition government called the Maha Vikas Aghadi.
He said, ‘We had a proposal from the NCP that they needed a stable government and we should form such a government together. We decided to go ahead and negotiate. Had talks with Sharad Pawar,” Fadnavis recently raked up the episode with the claim that Sharad Pawar knew and had given consent to the move.
The statement has led to a war of words with the NCP, in which Pawar himself has hit back. “I thought Fadnavis was a cultured person. I didn’t think he would resort to untruth.
The abuse spread on Twitter where many users dug out Fadnavis’ old statement where he had said: “I will remain celibate, but will never go with NCP. never. never. never.”
BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule tweeted, ‘Respected Pawar Sahab, Fadnavis never resorted to untruth for power in Maharashtra. Many times he has left power, but never left the truth. Everyone in Maharashtra knows whose culture is backstabbing for power.”
The NCP retaliated by reminding the BJP of PM Narendra Modi’s statement on Pawar. He said, ‘Pawar saheb’s huge political achievements do not need your certification. From the post of sarpanch to PM, you are unable to remember the statements of your own leader, in whose name you contest any election, then eat almonds.
“It is not a googly. It is a no ball. With the Supreme Court hearing round the corner, this government is losing faith and wants to create a new controversy,” NCP spokesperson Mahesh Taapsee said.
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