Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has sent shockwaves across Maharashtra politics with the statement that his surprise early morning swearing-in as the CM after the 2019 elections was done with the consent of NCP chief Sharad Pawar.
In a dramatic dawn development, Fadnavis had taken oath as the CM after alliance talks with the Shiv Sena broke down in 2019. NCP leader and Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar was sworn in as his deputy at the Raj Bhavan but both had to resign after three days as Pawar could not muster enough MLAs from the NCP.
It was one of the shortest governments Maharashtra had ever seen and had helped lift the President’s Rule in the state, paving way for the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP’s coalition government called the Maha Vikas Aghadi.
“We had an offer from the NCP that they needed a stable government and we should form such a government together. We decided to go ahead and hold talks. The talks happened with Sharad Pawar,” Fadnavis said recently, raking up the episode with the claim that Sharad Pawar knew and consented to the shock move.
The statement has led to a full-blown war of words with the NCP, with Pawar hitting back himself. “I had thought Fadnavis was a cultured man. I did not think that he will take support of the untruth,” the NCP chief said. Asked to elaborate, he said it is better to put these questions to Fadnavis.
The slugfest spilled over to Twitter where many users dug up Fadnavis’ old statement where he had said: “I will stay unmarried, but will never go with the NCP. Never. never. Never.”
BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule tweeted: “Respected Pawar saaheb, Fadnavis has never taken help of untruth for power in Maharashtra. At times, he has left power, but has never left the truth. Everyone in Maharashtra knows whose culture it is to backstab for power (sic).”
The NCP put out a counter tweet and reminded the BJP of PM Narendra Modi’s statement on Pawar. “Pawar saheb’s towering political achievements do not need your certification. Eat almonds if you fail to remember the statements of your own leader whose name you use for fighting any and every election – from sarpanch to PM position.”
“This isn’t a googly. This is a no-ball. This government is losing confidence as the Supreme Court hearing is coming closer, and wants to create a new controversy,” said NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase.
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