Maharashtra: Fadnavis offers to quit, to meet BJP leaders with request

After the BJP’s Lok Sabha tally came down from 23 to 9 in Maharashtra, deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis on 5 June offered to quit his post to enable him to focus on party work ahead of Assembly elections.

“I take the responsibility for the result in Maharashtra. I am requesting the party leadership to relieve me from the responsibility in the government so that I can work full time for the party in upcoming assembly elections.”

Assembly elections in the state are scheduled in less than six months from now.

“The entire responsibility for this result is mine. I agree that I was lacking somewhere in all this and am going to make all efforts to overcome this shortcoming,” he said.

“I take full responsibility for the setback the BJP suffered in Maharashtra. Now I want to focus on assembly elections and that is why I am going to request the BJP’s top leadership to relieve me from my responsibility in the government and give me a chance to work full time in the party,” Fadnavis said. “I am going to meet the senior BJP leaders soon and do whatever they ask me to.”

Fadnavis also said "coordination issues" exist with chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar of the NCP (Nationalist Congress Party).

Asked to respond later on the remarks by Fadnavis, Shinde declined to comment.

The Congress said Fadnavis' offer to resign following the setback suffered by the BJP and allies is "drama", and it is outgoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi who should quit. Fadnavis is running an "unconstitutional government" and had publicly stated that he returned to power by breaking up two parties, said state Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe.

In Maharashtra, the Mahayuti alliance — comprising BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) — won 17 Lok Sabha seats while the Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) secured 30 of the total 48 seats.

The Congress won 13 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) got nine, and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) won eight seats. The BJP won nine seats, Shiv Sena won seven seats and NCP won just one, taking the Mahayuti tally to 17.

Edited PTI inputs