Devendra Fadnavis
Devendra Fadnavis accepted Dy CM post after PM Modi's calls: Report
Mumbai: BJP leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was aware of the developments that led to the ouster of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state and accepted the role of deputy CM to honour the calls of the top BJP leadership, media reported.
News agency ANI reported citing a top BJP functionary that Fadnavis was all along in the loop and without "his sharp political acumen this [the coup by Sena MLAs and the eventual exit of MVA] could not have really happened".
Fadnavis agreed to take oath as the deputy chief minister after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call at least on two occasions, the source told ANI.
Also, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda appealed to Fadnavis on Twitter to join the new Maharashtra government as the deputy CM.
He was asked by the party to reconsider his decision after he announced to stay outside the government led by rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde.
"Devendra has been a loyal party cadre, who has risen from the ranks and therefore he understands the discipline in the system," a senior party functionary told ANI.
He also told the news agency that it was because of Fadnavi's able leadership as the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly that the BJP could win a third Rajya Sabha seat from Maharashtra.
Following the rebellion by the majority of Shiv Sena MLAs and the resignation of Uddhav Thackeray as the chief minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde took oath as the 20th Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Fadnavis took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, Fadnavis has decided to not join the key BJP meet in Hyderabad and instead focus on Maharashtra where various contours are to be settled and ministries are to be declared.
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