Scotching speculations that Ajit Pawar would be joining hands with BJP as he had been offered chief ministerial post, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Tuesday said the 2024 assembly election would be fought by the incumbent government under the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
“This Government is fully stable. 2024 elections will fought by this government. Eknath Shinde will remain as the the chief minister till 2024 and will fight elections under his leadership,” said Fadnavis during the course of an interview with ABP Majha, a Marathi news channel. Fadnavis is in Karnataka to campaign for party candidates.
Fadnavis’ reactions come in the backdrop of the speculations that Ajit Pawar was being offered chief ministerial post by BJP in anticipation of the Supreme Court verdict regarding disqualification of some MLAs of the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde. Adding fuel to the speculations was Ajit Pawar’s statement that he was ready to become the chief minister even now rather than waiting for 2024 assembly elections.
Fadnavis said a narrative is sought to being created by the Maha Vikas Aghadi that the tie-up between BJP and Eknath Shinde camp has been not fruitful. “This narrative has been created by the Maha Vikas Aghadi and not by the people. It is a political narrative. I am seeing the change. Every passing day, the support to the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance is growing in the state.”
He also stated that in the 2024 elections, the BJP-Sena elections will get full majority both in assembly elections and Lok Sabha elections.
To a question regarding the unease in Sharad Pawar-led NCP, Fadnavis said, “I have no clue. I am not the spokesperson of NCP neither I am the spokesperson for Ajit Pawar.”
Fadnavis evaded a question as to whether BJP and NCP would come together in the future. “Answering such questions would only lead to unnecessary speculations,” he said.