Mumbai: After a four-year-old video clip of Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis saying “mi punha yein” (I will be back) appeared on BJP’s X handle – only to be deleted – sparked off a political issue, the saffron party’s troubleshooter on Saturday said that Eknath Shinde would complete the full term as Chief Minister.
Shinde, the chief leader of Shiv Sena, however, said that he had not seen the video.
The development has sent out mixed signals with reports surfacing that Shinde’s days may be numbered in the wake of the ongoing disqualification proceedings against him and other MLAs.
“Shinde will complete the full term (till 2024), not a day less. The next election will be fought under his leadership,” said Fadnavis.
After the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi was toppled, Shinde and Fadnavis were sworn in as the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, respectively, on 30 June 2022. A former two-time Chief Minister and ex-Leader of the Opposition, Fadnavis was asked to become Shinde’s deputy by the BJP’s top leadership. A year later, on 2 July 2023, NCP’s Ajit Pawar broke ranks to become the Deputy Chief Minister of the state for the fifth time, a move intended at stonewalling any problems that the government could face.
State BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule too came out with a clarification. “Nobody should misinterpret the old video clipping. Shinde will continue as Chief Minister. The 2024 elections will be tough under his leadership,” Bawankule said.
“There is no need for the Shinde group to be apprehensive (about the video). Shinde and Fadnavis share a good rapport. Shinde, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar are working together for the development of Maharashtra,” state BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said.
(Published 28 October 2023, 11:29 IST)