New Delhi: Dropping a hint that Eknath Shinde could be ruling Mahayuti government’s CM face in the upcoming assembly elections, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said that the alliance does not need to announce the candidate for the chief ministerial post “as our chief minister is right here” without naming anyone.
He said this while addressing a joint press conference with Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Ajit Pawar. They were unveiling the Mahayuti government’s report card during the meeting.
He pointed out that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) isn’t declaring their CM face as they themselves aren’t sure that their candidate will be able to take the position after elections. “I challenge Pawar Sahab (Sharad Pawar) to announce their face for the CM post.” Fadnavis lambasted the MVA, comprising the Congress, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) under Sharad Pawar.
In September, Sharad Pawar had said that the MVA didn’t need to declare a chief ministerial candidate before the election and the alliance will contest under a collective leadership.
‘It’s not an easy job’
Meanwhile, Fadnavis alleged that the previous MVA government indulged in corruption and misconduct. He said the MVA alliance home minister was put behind bars for accepting a bribe of Rs 100 crore, who planted bombs outside a businessman’s house, and who jailed scribes. They shouldn’t lecture us on law and order, he pointed out.
Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde said that the face of the Mahayuti alliance is his government’s work and performance in the last two years. “Our two years of governance and performance is the face of our alliance. Let the MVA announce their face as the leader of the opposition,” Shinde said. The CM stressed on the Mahayuti government’s record, stating, “It’s not an easy job to present a report card of your government’s performance. It needs real work and achievements.”
