Devendra Fadnavis says Sanjay Raut wants to compete with Salim-Javed, denies 'cold war' with Eknath Shinde

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has dismissed speculation of a “cold war” with his deputy Eknath Shinde, and mocked Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, quipping he wants to compete with Salim-Javed, the legendary screenwriting duo.

Fadnavis was addressing a press conference on Sunday with Deputy CMs Shinde and Ajit Pawar after a cabinet meeting and customary tea party ahead of the four-week budget session of the state legislature, beginning Monday.

“There is no war. Those who know both of us will remember what we do when we are together,” said Fadnavis, pointing to their meetings before Shinde’s rebellion split the undivided Shiv Sena and ousted the MVA government in 2022.

While Fadnavis maintained all partners of ruling Mahayuti – BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP – are working unitedly, Shinde chipped in saying, “Everything is thanda thanda, cool cool.”

Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena, said the budget session will be the first House proceedings of the new government after Mahayuti’s victory in the state polls last year.

“It is just that Fadnavis and I have swapped our chairs. Only Ajit Pawar’s chair is fixed,” said Shinde, who was the CM before the assembly elections with Fadnavis and Pawar as his deputies then.

Pawar came up with the repartee, “What can I do if you couldn’t keep your chair,” sending all three into peals of laughter.

Fadnavis dismissed reports claiming he had stayed decisions taken by his predecessor. “I have not stayed any decision taken by Shinde,” he asserted.

The CM and his deputies also rubbished Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut’s claim about Shinde meeting Union minister Amit Shah at 4 am in Pune to complain against Fadnavis.

Shinde said Shah is a leader of the BJP-led NDA. Pawar asserted it was a courtesy call at 10 am. Fadnavis said he too was present in the meeting.

Raut in his weekly column Rokhthok in the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece 'Saamana' on Sunday claimed the meeting took place at a hotel in Pune’s Koregaon Park on February 22. Shinde, who is a “leader of 57 MLAs”, had to stay awake till 4 am to meet Shah, he claimed.

Fadnavis said Raut wants to compete with Salim-Javed, the iconic screenwriting pair of Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, while Shinde claimed there was “chemical locha (imbalance)” in the Sena (UBT) leader's head.

Amid disagreement over guardian ministers’ posts, taking separate review meetings to separate medical cells and ‘war rooms’ for monitoring projects, there were reports of unease between Fadnavis and Shinde.

Asked about his “don’t take me lightly” remark, Shinde said he clarified it was directed at those who took him lightly and how he taught them a lesson, in a veiled reference to Shiv Sena (UBT) head and former CM Uddhav Thackeray.

Fadnavis added, “I don’t take Shinde lightly, so the remark was directed at those who underestimated him.”

He also lashed out at the opposition for boycotting the customary tea party on the legislature session's eve.

Referring to a letter from the opposition, Fadnavis said, “It runs into nine pages. It has names of nine opposition leaders, of whom seven have signed. All issues mentioned are based on newspaper reports and if they had read the government’s response to these articles, the opposition couldn't have written even a half-page letter."

“They said the government should have a dialogue with the opposition. When we call them for dialogue, they boycott. None of the senior opposition leaders were present at the meeting. Instead of ‘hum saath saath hai’, it’s ‘hum aapke hai kaun’ being played out in the opposition camp,” he added.

The CM said five bills would be introduced during the session, which will continue till March 26, and two debates on women's empowerment and the Constitution will be held.

He said soybean and tur procurement has been done in record numbers. “We have to acquire additional godowns,” he added.

The CM said the government will table a balanced budget (on March 10) and ensure fiscal discipline. Flagship schemes will continue and only ineligible beneficiaries will be dropped, he said, referring to the 'Ladki Bahin’ programme.

Fadnavis described the harassment of Union minister Raksha Khadse’s daughter as unfortunate, stressing those involved won’t be spared.

On the opposition's demand for the resignation of NCP ministers Manikrao Kokate and Dhananjay Munde, he said a decision on Kokate would be taken after court order. “We have already clarified about the demand for Munde’s resignation,” he said.

Agriculture minister Kokate was recently convicted by a magistrate’s court in a forgery case and sentenced to two years in jail. A sessions court in Nashik which has suspended his sentencing will give its decision on Kokate’s plea seeking a stay on the magistrate's order on March 5.

Munde has been facing opposition heat after the arrest of his close aide Walmik Karad in an extortion case related to the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.

On Congress leader Sunil Kedar’s disqualification from assembly (after conviction in a case), Fadnavis said the decision was taken after the court refused to stay his conviction. In Kokate’s case, the sentence had been suspended, said the CM.