Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: In a rare gesture in recent times that surprised the Maharashtra politics, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) has praised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s mission to end Naxalism from Gadchiroli district and transform it as the 'Steel City'.
In fact, Fadnavis, who is also the state Home Minister, spent the first day of New Year in Gadchiroli, where he interacted with top administrative, police officials and kids, spent time with locals, conducted an aerial survey, traveled in a public bus and inspected police tests and also presided over a function, where 11 hardcore Maoists surrendered.
The move of Fadnavis, who heads the BJP-led MahaYuti-NDA dispensation, which also includes Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-headed NCP, had earned praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his efforts regarding the Gadchiroli district.
Now, Thackeray’s close aide and Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, who is also the Executive Editor of Saamana, the party mouthpiece, and Pawar’s daughter and NCP (SP) Working President Supriya Sule, who is an MP from Baramati, both have praised Fadnavis.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) are key allies of Congress, which leads the Opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc.
An editorial in Saamana praised Deva bhau, as Fadnavis is known, for the Gadchiroli district.
“Deva bhau needs to show that the steps for Gadchiroli's development are for the betterment of common people and poor tribals, not for any mining baron…If what the Chief Minister has said (about Gadchiroli’s development and ending the menace of Naxalism) turns out to be true, it is a positive development for Maharashtra,” the editorial said.
“Guns rule Beed. Still, if there is a rule of the Constitution in Gadchiroli,” the editorial added on the developments in Beed.
Interacting with reporters, Raut said that Maharashtra has a rich political culture. “We may be in the Opposition but if something good is happening for Maharashtra, we need to praise it,” he said, adding that Gadchiroli is being developed as Steel City on the lines of Jamshedpur is a good thing for Maharashtra.
Responding to the Shiv Sena (UBT) statement, Fadnavis said, "It's good. Thank you.”
On the other hand, Sule too praised the CM. “Fadnavis is the only active leader in the current administration…he is the only one in mission mode…others are missing,” she said.
"Fadnavis visiting Gadchiroli is a good thing. We all stand united against terrorism, Maoism. Fadnavis is actively working,” she said, adding that former Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister, late R R Patil too used to visit Gadchiroli. “Fadnavis is taking ahead what Patil used to do,” she added.
The praise comes as a surprise as Raut and Sule are bitter critics of Fadnavis.
It may be recalled, during the Nagpur winter session of the Maharashtra legislature, Thackeray, his son and Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray, the latter's cousin and Bandra East MLA Varun Sardesai, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s group leader in Assembly Bhaskar Jadhav, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s group leader in Council Sachin Ahir and MLC Anil Parab, met Fadnavis and congratulated him for taking over as the new CM.