Fadnavis assured Aaditya would be Maharashtra CM, claims Uddhav

Fadnavis, however, rubbished the claims and alleged that Uddhav himself had gone 'mad' and was 'hallucinating'.

Mumbai: In a sensational claim, Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday asserted that Devendra Fadnavis had assured that he would groom Aaditya Thackeray as the Maharashtra Chief Minister and move to Delhi himself.

“In 2019, Devendra Fadnavis had promised me that he would groom Aaditya Thackeray for the post of Chief Minister and would himself move to Delhi. But did not keep his word. They made me look like a liar to my people,” Thackeray said in an interview to a daily newspaper, a statement that he reiterated in an election rally on Saturday evening.

After breaking ties with the BJP post the 2019 Vidhan Sabha polls, Uddhav became the Chief Minister heading the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. However, his government was toppled by partyman Eknath Shinde in June-July 2023.

Thackeray’s reference was to the February 2019 meeting at Matoshree to finalise a comprehensive seat sharing deal for which then BJP President and now Home Minister Amit Shah flew down to Mumbai.

Shinde, who is now the Chief Minister heading the Maha Yuti government, said: ”They are lying for the sake of their family and his statement depicts his selfishness.”

Fadnavis, the architect of the government and now Deputy Chief Minister, while reacting to Thackeray's claim said: “Uddhav Thackeray has gone mad, not me. He is hallucinating. First he said that Amit Shah promised him chief ministership … Now he says I promised to make his son the Chief Minister … To hide one falsehood, another lie is being told."

Fadnavis said he did tell Thackeray that Aaditya should get training because in future he is likely to take control of the party. “Leave alone Chief Minister, I wouldn't make him a minister. He did become minister (in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government) which resulted in the situation which his party is in today.”