The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New Delhi): Following a significant reduction in the BJP’s Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra from 23 to 9, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has offered to resign. He expressed his intention to dedicate himself entirely to party work in preparation for the upcoming 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,” Fadnavis stated during a press conference in Mumbai.
With Assembly elections scheduled in less than six months, Fadnavis acknowledged his shortcomings and vowed to address them. “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.
Reiterating his commitment, Fadnavis added, “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. I am going to meet the senior BJP leaders soon and do whatever they ask me to.”
Fadnavis also mentioned “coordination issues” with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar of the NCP (Nationalist Congress Party). However, when asked to comment on Fadnavis’ remarks, Shinde declined to respond.
The Congress dismissed Fadnavis’ resignation offer as “drama,” suggesting that outgoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi should resign instead. State Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe criticized Fadnavis for running an “unconstitutional government” and for publicly admitting to breaking up two parties to return to power.
In Maharashtra, the Mahayuti alliance, comprising BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), secured 17 Lok Sabha seats. In contrast, the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, including Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction), and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar faction), won 30 out of the total 48 seats. Specifically, Congress won 13 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) secured nine, and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) won eight seats. The BJP managed to win nine seats, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) seven, and NCP (Pawar faction) just one, bringing the Mahayuti total to 17.