Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde asserted on Saturday that the former MVA government had orchestrated a deliberate scheme to fabricate false charges against BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and others in an attempt to imprison them. Shinde's response came during a press interaction in Mumbai following a Mumbai court's acceptance of the CBI's closure report in a case of alleged phone tapping that occurred during the tenure of the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
The origins of this case trace back to a press conference held by current Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in March 2021, during his tenure as the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.
Shinde claimed, "The then MVA government had misused power and wanted to jail leaders of the BJP by levelling different charges on them. A calculative move was on by the then government to level charges against (Independent MP) Navneet Rana, (BJP MP) Narayan Rane etc. and jail them. The same was planned by them (MVA) for Fadnavis also."
He highlighted that clarity has emerged now, with the people of Maharashtra recognizing the truth from falsehood.
Shinde further predicted that NCP chief Sharad Pawar would eventually align with whatever decisions Ajit Pawar, who is part of the current BJP-Shiv Sena government, endorses.
Responding to a question about Sharad Pawar's prior statement, in which he asserted that there was no split within the NCP and Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar is the leader, Shinde remarked, "Sharad Pawar is an experienced leader. Ajit Pawar aligned with the initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Since he wanted to be part of these efforts, he joined hands with the state government (of BJP-Shiv Sena). Whatever Ajit Pawar agrees to, Sharad Pawar will likely concur with soon."
Shinde cited the historic success of Chandrayaan 3's lunar landing as an example of the country's progress under PM Modi's leadership.
He also downplayed the significance of the upcoming meeting of the INDIA bloc in Mumbai, suggesting that the gathering of opposition parties indicates that PM Modi is poised for another successful election outcome.
"In 2014 and 2019, opposition leaders united as well, but that approach didn't yield results. In contrast, the BJP's strength grew. The scenario won't differ in 2024 either," he added.
The tripartite MVA government consisting of Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress governed from November 2019 to June 30, 2022. Its collapse ensued after Shinde, then a minister, and a significant number of Shiv Sena MLAs rebelled against the leadership of then CM Uddhav Thackeray.
