We Are A Combination Without Challenge, Says Fadnavis On CM, Ajit Pawar And His Alliance; Mocks Sharad Pawar For Statement On PM

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and he were a combination that has no challenge due to their "working style".

He also took a swipe at Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar after the latter claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assertion that he would be back to unfurl the Tricolour at the Red Fort next year (on Independence Day) was inspired from Fadnavis, who had routinely said during the 2019 Assembly poll campaign that he would be back (mi punha yael).

Fadnavis said the PM would address the nation from the Red Fort on Independence Day next year as the entire country was standing with the latter who was working tirelessly for its citizens. Speaking at a 'shasan aplya daari' (government at your doorstep) programme in Shirdi, Fadnavis said, "We three have come together. You know about the working style of Shindeji and you are also aware of me and Ajit dada. We three coming together is a combination which has no challenge."

Without taking the name of Sharad Pawar, Fadnavis retorted, "Last time, I said 'mi punha yael' (I will be back) and I can see the terror of that statement is still there. Some people are still in terror. I would like to tell him one thing that when I said 'mi punha yael', people actually brought me back but some persons betrayed us."

In an apparent reference to the split in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena after the rebellion by Eknath Shinde, who went on to become CM, Fadnavis said "those who betrayed us we brought their party along with us". "There is no reason to doubt that the people will stand with Modiji, who has taken India to new heights and has worked tirelessly for the betterment of the country. He will once again address the country from the Red Fort on August 15 next year," the senior BJP leader asserted.

Quoting Ajit Pawar, who was also present at the event, Fadnavis brushed aside the opposition parties coming together to form an anti-BJP alliance by calling them "khichdi" that was not worth paying attention to. He said the opposition parties will continue to talk while the state government will work transparently and tirelessly to bring about change and betterment in the lives of people.