There is no one upmanship: CM Fadnavis refutes reports of rift in Mahayuti govt
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday refuted all reports of rift and cold war within the Mahayuti government. “There is no one upmanship,” Fadnavis mentioned while addressing the media on Sunday.
Fadnavis, along with his deputies Ajit Pawar and Ekanth Shinde, briefed the media on Sunday after the traditional tea party ahead of the assembly session. The four-week state session commences from Monday. The state`s budget will be presented on March 10.
Taking a dig at the Opposition Maha VIkas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, comprising Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Congress, for boycotting the customary tea party meet, Fadnavis said, “This was a good opportunity for the dialogue. But, the opposition by abstaining from such meetings, are cutting down the opportunities for dialogue with the government.”
Prior to the ruling party media meet, the MVA leaders addressed the media explaining the reason for not participating in the tea party. The opposition leaders alleged misrule, corruption in the government, false promises to farmers and failure to maintain the law-and-order situation in Maharashtra. “When people [citizens and farmers] are suffering, how can we be part of the tea party that has been hosted by the ruling government,” Ambadas Danve, leader of the opposition in the legislative council, said.
Reacting to this, CM Fadnavis said, “We are prepared for debate and will answer each and every question raised during the session.”
Echoing similar views, Shinde stated that this would be the second session of the government and the first budget of the Mahayuti government after the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024. “Though the government is new, the players are the same; only there is role reversal, except for Ajit Pawar,” Shinde said. In the previous Mahayuti government, Shinde was the CM and Fandavis was the deputy CM. In the current regime, Fadnavis is the CM and Shinde is his deputy.
Pawar quipped saying that mine is a fixed chair, to which, Fadnvais said, “Ours [Shinde and his] is a rotating chair.”
Shinde also warned the opposition, especially Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders, and said that there is a limit to everything. “If the tolerance level is breached, we too will give equally befitting replies,” the deputy CM stated.
Meanwhile, Pawar made it clear that merely because they have a thumping majority, it does not mean that the Mahayuti government will drag the business. “The session is for four weeks. We will conduct the business as per the rule book and not only the basis of our strength in the house,” he assured the opposition.
