Eknath Shinde As CM: BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis Not Part Of Government, “Will Extend Full Support”
Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP backed up rebel leader Eknath Shinde’s proposal with a “doosra”; Mr. Shinde will be the Chief Minister, and Mr. Fadnavis will support him but not be a part of the new administration. Since the BJP is the only party with a majority in the assembly, it was predicted that Mr. Fadnavis would lead the coalition and Mr. Shinde would serve as his deputy.
Uddhav Thackeray, who had tauntedly challenged the rebels if the BJP would name one of them the chief minister, may find it difficult to respond to this twist.
As Mr. Fadnavis announced the development to the media, he charged Uddhav Thackeray with defying the 2019 election’s mandate and “daily demeaning Hindutva.” “In a House of 288 seats, the BJP-Shiv Sena pre-election combination won 161 of them, and it was anticipated that the coalition would form the government. However, Uddhav Thackeray disregarded popular opinion “said he.
“On the final day [of Uddhav Thackeray’s administration], Aurangabad was renamed Sambhajinagar. However, you shouldn’t hold any cabinet meetings after receiving the Governor’s letter (requesting proof of majority), “added he.
When the Shiv Sena split out following the 2019 elections, Mr. Fadnavis, who served as chief minister in the previous BJP-Shiv Sena coalition, briefly reclaimed the position. But once Ajit Pawar’s NCP fraction returned to Sharad Pawar’s camp, he was forced to resign from his position in less than a week. The way things turned out humiliated Mr. Fadnavis and the BJP and gave rise to popular jokes online.
Now that Uddhav Thackeray had been removed from his position, he was largely expected to take it. But he announced that Eknath Shinde would be the chief minister after visiting the governor today, saying, “We are not working for the job of CM; this is a war of principles.”
At 7:30 p.m., Eknath Shinde will be sworn in. Mr. Fadnavis further declared that he would not be a member of the administration but would “totally” support Mr. Shinde and that only Mr. Shinde would take the oath at this time; the ministers will be chosen and sworn in later.
He charged that Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena was working with those who supported gangsters and mocked Hindutva symbols. “Shiv Sena condemned Dawood (Ibrahim), but they also maintained a cabinet member who was jailed on suspicion of aiding Dawood. They teamed up with someone who denigrated Savarkar.”
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