Fadnavis downplays his teaming up with Ajit Pawar to form govt

Talking to reporters in Aurangabad senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis remembered his teaming up with Ajit Pawar to form the government last year. Speaking on other issues, Fadnavis said projects like the water grid and city water pipeline aimed at developing Marathwada were in coma under the MVA regime.

Aurangabad: Exactly a year after Maharashtra politics was left stunned with the coming together of Devendra Fadnavis as chief minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar as his deputy to form a short-lived 80-hour government in the state, the senior BJP leader on Monday said the "incident need not be remembered".

Fadnavis, talking to reporters in Aurangabad, went on to add that if the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government falls, the oath ceremony of the dispensation that would replace it would not take place at dawn as was the case a year ago.

Last year, amid hectic parleys between the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress to form a non-BJP government in the state after the October polls threw up a hung Assembly, Fadnavis and Pawar were sworn in at dawn in a ceremony at Raj Bhavan.

"If the present government in the state collapses, the oath ceremony will not take place at dawn. But such incidents need not be remembered," the former CM said.

Speaking on other issues, Fadnavis said projects like the water grid and city water pipeline aimed at developing Marathwada were in coma under the MVA regime.

The MVA government is working for specific regions and constituencies, and proposals announced by ministers are set aside by the chief minister or deputy chief minister, Fadnavis alleged.

Replying to a query on the MLC polls, Fadnavis said the BJP would fare well despite the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena coming together.

PTI