Eknath Shinde is preferred over Devendra Fadnavis for Maharashtra CM, says advertisement citing ‘survey’
The Hindu
The friction arose between the partners after an advertisement placed in newspapers by the Shinde-led Shiv Sena quoted a survey which claimed Mr. Shinde was more preferred as CM than Mr. Fadnavis.
Amid growing tensions within Maharashtra’s ruling parties, the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Deputy CM and State BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on June 13 cancelled his visit to Kolhapur district citing ‘medical reasons’.
Friction arose between the ‘Mahayuti’ (translated ‘grand alliance’) partners after a newspaper advertisement placed by the Shinde-led Sena cited a survey which claimed Mr. Shinde was more preferred as the State’s CM than Mr. Fadnavis.
Leaders from the Shinde camp scrambled to downplay any differences between their party and the BJP over the survey while the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) pooh-poohed the government’s survey, saying it was “laughable” that the Shinde camp had deployed an agency to conduct a survey obviously favourable to them.
“There are no differences between the BJP and the Shiv Sena. Mr. Fadnavis has cancelled his visit owing to medical reasons. We were all present at the state cabinet meeting today where we discussed government schemes and how they can benefit more people,” said Deepak Kesarkar, who is spokesman for the Shinde camp and Guardian Minister of Kolhapur.
At the same time, Mr. Kesarkar said that if there had been a mistake while given the advertisement, “it could be corrected.”
The full-page advertisement with the flaming headline “Modi for India, Shinde for Maharashtra” featured a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi chatting amicably with Mr. Shinde. There were no photos of either Shiv Sena founder, the late Bal Thackeray nor Mr. Fadnavis, hinting that Mr. Shinde would continue as CM should his Sena faction and the BJP win the 2024 general and State Assembly elections.
As per the advertisement, 26.1% of those surveyed desired to see Mr. Shinde as CM while 23.2% wished to see Devendra Fadnavis as the next CM.
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