As long as I am state BJP chief, Devendra Fadnavis should become the CM again: Chandrashekhar Bawankule

Even though the BJP is sharing power with Eknath Shinde-led Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena, the saffron party is unable to digest the fact that its leader Devendra Fadnavis is not the chief minister, but has to settle as the deputy chief minister following the high command’s directive. It once again came to the light after the state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Sunday declared that Mr Fadnavis should become the state Chief Minister as long as he heads the party unit in Maharashtra. The timing of Bawankule’s statement is important as the winter session of the state legislature will start from Monday at Nagpur. Besides, Fadnavis recently said that he will continue to be a part of Maharashtra politics. "Nobody can send me to Delhi, I will stay in Maharashtra,’’ he had declared. 

What did Bawankule say?

Bawankule, at a function, said, ‘’The members of various communities, who had approached Devendra Fadnavis, had tried to remove their injustice. Therefore, as long as I am the state BJP president, Devendra Fadnavis should become the Chief Minister again. This is the responsibility of all of us. Everyone should stand behind Devendra Fadnavis as only he can make the future of Maharashtra as the Chief Minister.’’ He further appealed to the Teli community to strongly stand behind Fadnavis. Incidentally, Bawankule hails from the Teli community which has a sizeable presence in the Vidarbha region.

Fadnavis held the CM’s post from 2014 to 2019 and it was presumed that he will head the alliance government with Shinde after the fall of MVA government. However, he had to announce that Shinde will be the CM while he will not be the part of the new government. However, following Delhi's diktat, he joined and took the oath as the deputy chief minister.

Opposition reacts to the statement

The opposition NCP reacted to Bawanule’s statement. The leader of opposition in the state assembly Ajit Pawar said, “It is their internal party issue. What should they do to someone, they should do it for them. We have nothing to do with it.’’

However, NCP legislator Amol Mitkari reminded that BJP leader Chandrakant Patil had also said earlier that there was a need for a leader who would stabilise the government and send out the right message. Patil had said that with ‘heavy heart’ central BJP leaders, especially Fadnavis, decided to make Shinde CM.

‘’Although it is true that Eknath Shinde is the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, BJP has not digested it. Bawankule's statement should be taken seriously. BJP is of the opinion that Fadnavis should be the Chief Minister,' said Mitkari.

Shinde camp minister's guarded response

However, the Shinde camp minister Sambhuraj Desai gave a guarded reaction. ‘’Don't try to twist a statement unnecessarily. No matter how much someone tries, Balasaheb's Shiv Sena and BJP will fight the 2024 election together, Shinde Saheb has said, we are firm on that,’’ he added.