ormer Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Sunday denied making an offer of the chief ministerial post to deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde by forming an alliance with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
Mumbai:Former Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Sunday denied making an offer of the chief ministerial post to deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde by forming an alliance with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). He said he made the statement on the occasion of Holi and it was made on a lighter note.
Patole had claimed that if Shinde and Ajit crossed over to the Opposition camp, they could even get the CM chair on a ‘rotational basis.’ “The condition of Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde is not good in the ruling alliance and the government. They are feeling suffocated. If Devendra Fadnavis is troubling you, we are ready to stand with you and form a government together,” he said.
“We are with Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde and they should come with us. Since we are a national party, we will take care of them. We will make Ajit Pawar the Chief Minister for some days and Eknath Shinde for some days,” the Congress leader added.
Patole’s statement came amidst speculation of discord between Shinde and CM Fadnavis. There has been a buzz that Fadnavis’ alleged attempts at scrapping the projects and schemes that were started by Shinde when he was the CM in the previous Mahayuti government, has not gone down well with the Shiv Sena leader.
Patole, however, said he made the remarks on a light-hearted note on the event of the festival of colours. “I made the statement telling them “bura na mano, Holi hai.” However, if Shinde and Ajit Pawar want to come, we will embrace them,” he said.
