MUMBAI: Weeks after BJP made the stunning decision of making Eknath Shinde the Maharashtra chief minister and Devendra Fadnavis his deputy, BJP state president Chandrakant Patil on Saturday said the decision was taken with a "heavy heart".
Within hours, the video was taken off from all BJP social media platforms and several leaders, including Fadnavis, came out to clear the air. Even as he defended Patil, Fadnavis said Shinde was their leader and the decision to make him the CM might have surprised many, but it was not taken suddenly; it was well thought out and taken unitedly.
Speaking at BJP's first state executive meeting after the change of government, Patil said there was a need for a leader who would stabilise the government and send out the right message, and so with a "heavy heart" central BJP leaders, especially Fadnavis, decided to make Shinde CM, he said.
Uddhav’s fate sealed the day he backstabbed us: Fadnavis
Addressing the BJP state executive meeting, party chief Chandrakant Patil said though the decision to make Eknath Shinde the CM was taken with a “heavy heart”, “we got over our sorrow and formed the government with enthusiasm”.
Reacting to the statements, Devendra Fadnavis said: “The statements made by Patil were misinterpreted. He was narrating the sentiments of party workers who expected me to be the CM and were shocked when Shinde’s name was announced. But this doesn’t mean Shinde is not acceptable to us or some of us have a different opinion. The entire decision was taken in a united manner.” Their government, he said, will not only complete their term but also win with a bigger majority in the next elections.
Ashish Shelar said Patil was only relaying party workers’ sentiments and it was not his opinion.
Political analysts said Shinde’s elevation as CM has caused restlessness among state BJP leaders and is being seen as a snub to Fadnavis. Perhaps aware of the restlessness, Fadnavis tried to stamp out any sense of a grievance. “It was important to give Shinde an important role as he had come with so many MLAs, but it was more important to show that BJP is not a power-hungry party. We are not the ones who destabilise governments to install our CM, but it was a battle of ideologies. The change in government was necessary in the interest of the public and for the welfare of the state,” said Fadnavis.
He slammed Uddhav Thackeray for forming an “unnatural” alliance with Congress and NCP. “No word was given to them by us before the elections (2019). A conspiracy was hatched against us. The Sena had already decided to go with NCP and broke off the alliance with us in 2019. I called Uddhavji, but my calls went unanswered. Their fate was sealed the very day when they backstabbed us,” said Fadnavis.
He added the “real” Shiv Sena that follows Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology was with them. Sounding off the election bugle ahead of the local bodies polls including the BMC, Fadnavis asked all party workers to work to strengthen the organisation
