<p>Describing himself as the Chief Minister of the common man, Eknath Shinde said he has a great tuning and rapport with his deputy Devendra Fadnavis and the new alliance government will steer Maharashtra to newer heights.</p>.<p>“People ask and discuss as to when I sleep. I must say for me CM stands for ‘common man’. I am among them. I am a common man. I am the Chief Minister of the Common Man,” Shinde said on Friday.</p>.<p>Shinde also spoke on his professional relationship with Fadnavis, now the Deputy Chief Minister, who holds over a half-a-dozen important portfolios.</p>.<p>Shinde said that he had worked with Fadnavis when the latter was the Chief Minister heading the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance government between 2014-19. “Me and Devendra ji have worked together and have a great tuning and rapport,” he said, adding that Fadnavis brings with him a lot of experience.</p>.<p>At a conclave of a national media group in Mumbai, Shinde said that the new government is pro-development and pro-people. “In the last three months, we have taken several important decisions, took steps to put pending projects on track,” he said and also assured that the government would transform Mumbai.</p>.<p>While targeting Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, though without naming him, Shinde made it clear that the new government comprises Shiv Sena and BJP.</p>.<p>“We are taking the ideals of late Balasaheb Thackeray and late Anand Dighe ahead. The 2019 Vidhan Sabha elections were fought as an alliance. The Shiv Sena and BJP are natural allies…only after the results were announced, he heard the statement of ‘all options open’…why objection was not taken when Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Devendra ji would be the chief minister?” he asked.</p>.<p>“What Balasaheb wanted -- abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, the construction of Ram temple -- both of these are a reality. Modi ji has enhanced the importance of India in the world,” he said.</p>.<p>On the charge that they are traitors and have taken money to switch sides, Shinde shot back and said: “They can say only two things ‘gaddar’ and ‘khoke’ (boxes). Don’t describe us a traitors…we have carried out a rebellion… kranti. As far as the charge of money changing hands is concerned, do you think and do you believe that 50 people will take money and switch sides? All these people had faith in me and that’s why they have come along. Is there any example in Indian history of people in government walking out of the government to form a government.”</p>.<p>Shinde reiterated that he himself had told Thackeray about the alliance with Congress and NCP not working, however, his pleas were ignored and hence they were forced to come out of the Maha Vikas Aghadi.</p>.<p>On the Vedanta-Foxconn and Tata-Airbus mega projects going to Gujarat, he asked: “Do you think that such big companies take decisions in three months? I myself spoke to Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal and Prime Minister. The level of cooperation was not there. As regards Tata-Airbus, the deal was done last year itself.”</p>
<p>Describing himself as the Chief Minister of the common man, Eknath Shinde said he has a great tuning and rapport with his deputy Devendra Fadnavis and the new alliance government will steer Maharashtra to newer heights.</p>.<p>“People ask and discuss as to when I sleep. I must say for me CM stands for ‘common man’. I am among them. I am a common man. I am the Chief Minister of the Common Man,” Shinde said on Friday.</p>.<p>Shinde also spoke on his professional relationship with Fadnavis, now the Deputy Chief Minister, who holds over a half-a-dozen important portfolios.</p>.<p>Shinde said that he had worked with Fadnavis when the latter was the Chief Minister heading the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance government between 2014-19. “Me and Devendra ji have worked together and have a great tuning and rapport,” he said, adding that Fadnavis brings with him a lot of experience.</p>.<p>At a conclave of a national media group in Mumbai, Shinde said that the new government is pro-development and pro-people. “In the last three months, we have taken several important decisions, took steps to put pending projects on track,” he said and also assured that the government would transform Mumbai.</p>.<p>While targeting Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, though without naming him, Shinde made it clear that the new government comprises Shiv Sena and BJP.</p>.<p>“We are taking the ideals of late Balasaheb Thackeray and late Anand Dighe ahead. The 2019 Vidhan Sabha elections were fought as an alliance. The Shiv Sena and BJP are natural allies…only after the results were announced, he heard the statement of ‘all options open’…why objection was not taken when Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Devendra ji would be the chief minister?” he asked.</p>.<p>“What Balasaheb wanted -- abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, the construction of Ram temple -- both of these are a reality. Modi ji has enhanced the importance of India in the world,” he said.</p>.<p>On the charge that they are traitors and have taken money to switch sides, Shinde shot back and said: “They can say only two things ‘gaddar’ and ‘khoke’ (boxes). Don’t describe us a traitors…we have carried out a rebellion… kranti. As far as the charge of money changing hands is concerned, do you think and do you believe that 50 people will take money and switch sides? All these people had faith in me and that’s why they have come along. Is there any example in Indian history of people in government walking out of the government to form a government.”</p>.<p>Shinde reiterated that he himself had told Thackeray about the alliance with Congress and NCP not working, however, his pleas were ignored and hence they were forced to come out of the Maha Vikas Aghadi.</p>.<p>On the Vedanta-Foxconn and Tata-Airbus mega projects going to Gujarat, he asked: “Do you think that such big companies take decisions in three months? I myself spoke to Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal and Prime Minister. The level of cooperation was not there. As regards Tata-Airbus, the deal was done last year itself.”</p>
