Devendra Fadnavis rules out rift with Eknath Shinde, defends Ajit Pawar

Mumbai: Amid tumultuous times for the BJP-led Maha Yuti, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday dismissed reports about differences with Eknath Shinde, who has been reportedly upset being sidelined and Ajit Pawar, who is under fire for his ‘no votes-no funds’ remark. 

This is for the first time Fadnavis, the BJP’s trouble-shooter, who spoke about the two issues in detail asserting that everything was fine with the nearly one-year-old tri-party coalition. 

The developments come days before the commencement of the Nagpur winter season of Maharashtra legislature, during which the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has armed itself to target the government. 

We meet regularly, no differences: CM

Fadnavis said that there are no difference between him and Shinde, who had last week airdashed to New Delhi and met BJP stalwart and Union Home Minister Amit Shah after several of the ministers of Shinde, who is the chief leader of Shiv Sena, boycotted the Cabinet meeting over the issue of poaching of each other’s leaders. 

“There is no such thing…we, Shinde Saheb and I, met the day before yesterday as well at the Hutatma Smarak programme…we spoke when we arrived…we spoke and we left…we even told them each other’s programme.  We spoke to each other as well. Similarly, yesterday we also met at a programme and spoke with each other when he came and when we were at the stage," he said.

Shinde, on his part, too denied any rift. “Somewhere we have to stop this kind of breaking news,” he said. 

Ajit Pawar did not mean it: CM

Reacting to criticism of Pawar, who is the state’s Finance and Planning Minister, Fadnavis said that his deputy might not have meant that. "Many times a lot of things are said during (election) meetings…but it does not mean the same. Even if our ally or someone had said like that, it was not their intention and they would never do such discrimination. And certainly, the people will elect Maha Yuti in the coming elections, though we may fight separately in some places," he said, adding that he and his government are committed to seamless development of the state. 

During campaigning on Friday for elections to the Malegaon Nagar Panchayat in Baramati tehsil of Pune district, Pawar, who is the NCP president, told voters that he will ensure there is no shortage of funds for the town if they elect the candidates of his party, but if they reject them, he will also “reject”. "I will ensure there is no shortage of funds if you elect all 18 NCP candidates. If you elect all 18 candidates, I am committed to give whatever I have promised. But if you reject, I will also reject. You have votes, I have funds," said Pawar, who holds the finance portfolio in the BJP-NCP-Shiv Sena Mahayuti government.

On his part, Pawar clarified that in no way his statement was a threat.

"The Centre and the state have many schemes. The Prime Minister, chief minister and both deputy chief ministers have worked on these together. If all of us work together and implement these schemes properly, we can ensure development for Malegaon,” said Pawar. “I said what I had to say. Now it's up to the opposition on what they want to say; it is their constitutional right. I tell the truth. I don't give importance to criticism; I give importance to work. We want development, and we want to solve the issues in that region…our only agenda is development,” he added.