Mumbai: In an indirect rebuff to Shiv Sena, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday made it clear that he would be the next chief minister. The sentiment in Shiv Sena – it was claimed recently – is that party youth wing leader Aaditya Thackeray should be the next Chief Minister.
While addressing a recent ‘Janashirvaad’ rally of Aadi-tya, Sena leader Sanjay Raut, too, had asserted that the budding young politician would be the next chief minister.
With the Shiv Sena keeping the pot simmering on the CM’s post, Fadnavis decided to have the last word. Addressing party workers at the NESCO Exhibition Ground, Goregaon, he said: "Party workers need not worry about who will be the next CM.
There are a few people who want to create such a controversy. In fact, such people are aplenty in our alliance partner (the Shiv Sena). But I have already made it clear that I will be the chief minister.
The CM’s post does not belong to any one party. I will be the CM of the BJP and I will be the CM of the Shiv Sena, too," Fadanvis said amid a thunderous applause from workers.
The Shiv Sena had claimed only last month that while finalising the alliance with them for the Lok Sabha election, the BJP had agreed to rotation of the CM’s post.
In view of these discordant voices, Fadnavis statement is being seen as a direct snub to its alliance partner. He also slammed party leaders who are putting undue pressure for tickets.
"If you do not have merit, nobody can ensure you a party ticket…Whether you bring a large delegation to meet me, or even if you are close to any senior leader, it won’t secure you a ticket.
The party has its own mechanism for finalising tickets," Fadnavis warned. Taking note of the criticism about rank outsiders securing posts in the BJP and the growing sense of unease among party workers, the CM defended the practice.
"The BJP is a public unlimited party. All are welcome, albeit after a background check. Once you join the BJP, there is no exit route. Generally, we give 85 percent tickets to BJP workers and 15 percent to outsiders," he added, while appealing to party workers not to get distressed.
