MUMBAI: Amid speculation about the elevation of deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar as chief minister of Maharashtra, incumbent CM Eknath Shinde’s abrupt visit to Delhi and his family members’ courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been termed a farewell meeting in political circles.
Maharashtra CM Ekanth Shinde last Friday met deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and felicitated him one day before his birthday on July 22. Shinde conveyed that he would not be in Mumbai on July 22 and therefore he decided to felicitate Fadnavis on his birthday in advance.
After that Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde packed his bag for his abrupt and unscheduled Delhi visit to meet the top BJP leaders. Shinde, his spouse, his father and his son Dr Shrikant Shinde and his spouse met the Prime Minister and termed it as a courtesy visit.
Meanwhile, NCP Ajit Pawar faction’s spokesman Amol Mitkar on social media wished his party deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. He stated Ajit Pawar will soon be sworn in as chief minister of Maharashtra and Ajit's era will soon start.
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Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut claimed that Ajit Pawar will be soon elevated as chief minister of Maharashtra and Shinde will be soon dumped by the BJP. It is BJP’s known policy to use and dump once the utility of the person is over, he alleged.
Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel recently met PM Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah in Delhi after the meeting of NDA allies. Interestingly, CM Shinde was also part of the NDA meeting and very much in Delhi, but he was not asked to be part of the confidential meeting that took place between NCP leaders and PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.
Shiv Sena (Shinde) spokesperson Sanjay Bhor Patil denied such a report and criticized Amol Mitkari for speculating the things and saying NCP is in a hurry for the chief minister’s post and forgetting that they are part of this grand alliance in Maharashtra.