Mumbai: After skipping two scheduled government events over two days, where he was supposed to share the dais with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis finally attended a government function with Shinde in Palghar on Thursday. Both leaders tried to downplay the ‘advertisement row’ at the event and, praising each other, both dismissed speculations of a rift between the alliance partners. In an apparent display of unity, both leaders arrived at the venue together, in a chopper.
While emphasising that the alliance has only become stronger over the past year after Shinde along with 40 other Sena MLAs joined him, Fadnavis said that they were and will remain together in the future as well and that their government is not “so weak that an ad can create cracks in it”. Shinde said during his address that the friendship and bond between them is “strong like Fevicol and it can never be broken”.
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07 May 2025
“No one needs to worry about our alliance. We were together yesterday, today and we will be together tomorrow as well. This government is not so weak that an advertisement or a statement can create cracks in it. We formed the government to bring a qualitative change in the life of people of Maharashtra and not for the chair or position,” Fadnavis said.
Reiterating the views, Shinde termed the bond between the two leaders as a “Fevicol ka jod, jo tutega nahin” and said many call their “jodi” as a “Jodi of Jai and Veeru” or “Dharam-Veer ki jodi”. He said their bond is unbreakable like the alliance between the Sena and BJP, which is based on ideology.
This comes two days after an advertisement across publications, on Tuesday, led to friction between the two alliance partners. The advertisement with the slogan “Modi for India, Shinde for Maharashtra. The dream team is loved by all” quoted a survey stating that Eknath Shinde is the most preferred CM with 26.1 per cent of people backing him followed by Deputy CM Fadnavis, supported by 23.2 per cent.
Following the advertisement, the Sena clarified that it was not put out by the party but by some well-wisher and, on Wednesday, it came out with another advertisement that had a picture of Fadnavis with Shinde. Fadnavis, however, missed attending two government events on Tuesday and Wednesday, where he was supposed to be present with Shinde.
Two days after the advertisement fiasco, Fadnavis and Shinde reached Palghar in a chopper to attend the state government’s event ‘Shasan Aaplya Dari’ during which both leaders praised each other in order to send out a message that there is no rift between the two leaders and the alliance is strong.
While praising Fadnavis, Shinde said that Fadnavis’ experience has been useful for the development of the state and has also benefited people of the state. Stating that the alliance is not for power and that it has been forged over a common ideology, Shinde said that no one can create rift between the alliance. “This alliance is not for selfishness or power but is based on ideology. No rift can be created between us and our friendship is very old. This friendship has been there for the past 15 years. ‘Yeh Fevicol ka jod hai, tutega nahin’. (No matter how much you try, this Fevicol bond cannot be broken). Many people compare us with ‘Jai-Veeru ki jodi’ and ‘Dharam-Veer ki jodi’,” Shinde said.
Praising the Deputy CM, Shinde recalled the achievements of Fadnavis as chief minister between 2014 and 2019, when he started key projects such as Samruddhi Mahamarg, MTHL and Jalyukta Shivar scheme among others. Further praising Fadnavis, Shinde said, “If there is any issue with regards to permission or funds for state, Fadnavis ji promptly visits Delhi to get it approved by the Centre. This has been key for us to be able to take forward several projects in the state and undertake rapid development.”
