Priya Aditi
Maharashtra political crisis:Even as the fierce power struggle between rival Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions led by Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar continued to play out on Thursday, Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis met with CM Eknath Shinde at Shinde’s official residence in Mumbai, according to news agency ANI.
ANI reports that Devendra Fadnavis was seen departing CM Eknath Shinde’s residence late Thursday night after the meeting.
Earlier in the day, addressing recent reports of discontent among Shiv Sena MLAs regarding NCP leader Ajit Pawar’s joining the Shinde-Fadnavis government, CM Shinde made it clear that his government has emerged stronger and that he has no intention of resigning, labeling all such reports as ‘rumours’.
CM Eknath Shinde told ANI, “It is all just rumors.”
Regarding the schism within the NCP, Shinde stated that the party should reflect on all internal happenings. “They (NCP) should reflect on the current state of their party. “They need to investigate their party, because their own house is now broken,” he said. “Yesterday, I also held a meeting with our MPs and MLAs, and our government is getting stronger by the day,” Eknath Shinde told ANI.
“Now that our administration is composed of three parties, we have more than 200 legislators. No leader is dissatisfied, and everyone has faith in us. Our government continues to gain strength. We have the backing of PM Modi and Amit Shah,” the Chief Minister of Maharashtra told ANI. Shinde also presided over a meeting of Shiv Sena MLAs at his official Mumbai residence.
Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut stated that Chief Minister Shinde could be replaced in the coming days in light of Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs joining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) administration in the state. Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the state president of the BJP, dismissed rumors that the state will get a new chief minister in the coming days, stating that the opposition parties are deliberately sowing confusion and that Shinde will remain chief minister.
“All of our senior leaders, including Devendra Fadnavis, have stated that Eknath Shinde will continue to serve as chief minister. He is performing admirably for the state. “The opposition parties sow confusion,” said Bawankule.
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Ajit Pawar joined the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra along with eight senior MLAs and took the oath of office as the state’s deputy chief minister for the fifth time on Sunday.
