Nagpur: The Maharashtra BJP on Friday posted a four-year-old video of its leader and former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announcing that he will return to head the state, prompting intense speculation in political circles. The social media post, however, was deleted within an hour.
“I will return for building a new Maharashtra,” the State BJP posted in the Friday evening on social media platform X, along with the video. The social media post, however, was deleted following a clarification issued by Maharashtra BJP’s chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhye. He said the video has been uploaded several times as party workers “get inspiration from it”, stressing that there was no need to interpret it differently.
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“There is no need for the Shinde group to be apprehensive over the video. Shinde and Fadnavis share a good rapport and coordination. Shinde, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar are working together for development of Maharashtra,” he told a TV channel.
Before the Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019, Fadnavis, the then Chief Minister, had said, “Mi punha yein” (I will return). Fadnavis is now one of the two Deputy Chief Ministers in Maharashtra, the other one being Ajit Pawar of the NCP’s rebel faction.
Former CM and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan wondered if there is a move afoot to replace Shinde as CM. “Maybe Shinde is being made the scapegoat. Such a move may be because the government led by him has failed to tackle important issues,” Chavan added.
