Sign in

BJP and Shiv Sena are not enemies, says Devendra Fadnavis

Fadnavis’s statement assumes significance amid reports of a slew of open and secret meetings between Sena and BJP leaders last week

Published on: Jul 5, 2021, 12:05:08 IST
Share
Share via
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
Copy link
  • copy link

A day after reports of a secret meeting between Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut and former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister Ashish Shelar in Mumbai, former Maharashtra chief minister and Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said there is no enmity between the two parties.

Former Maharashtra CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis. (HT file photo)
Former Maharashtra CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis. (HT file photo)

“There was no enmity between BJP and Shiv Sena. We are not enemies. We are facing ideological differences because our friend who got elected along with us left us and held the hands of those against whom they were elected,” Fadnavis said while interacting with media persons on the eve of the monsoon session of the state legislature beginning Monday.

Also Read | Anil Deshmukh writes letter to ED, claims probe against him not transparent

Fadnavis’s statement assumes significance amid reports of a slew of open and secret meetings between Sena and BJP leaders last week. Sena has two partners, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress, in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government in the state.

“There is nothing like a hypothesis in politics. Decisions are made depending upon the current situation. The leaders who depend upon hypothesis can only dream,” he said, when asked if both the parties will again join hands.

Meanwhile, Fadnavis denied that any meetings took place with Sena leaders last week. “There is no discussion or meeting with any party. BJP is working efficiently as an Opposition party and will do whatever it requires to fulfil peoples’ expectations,” he said.

After the resignation of two ministers — Anil Deshmukh and Sanjay Rathod — from the MVA government, the BJP has sharpened its attack on the state’s ruling coalition by pointing at the alleged corruption in the auction of the sugar factories. On Saturday, state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah demanding action against the 29 cooperative sugar factories on the lines of the action taken against Jarandeshwar sugar factory in Satara, which has been linked to the relatives of deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.

  • Faisal Malik
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Faisal Malik

    Faisal Malik is a senior journalist with over two and a half decades of experience covering Maharashtra’s politics, governance and public policy with a deep understanding of the state’s political landscape. He is a Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times and has been associated with its Mumbai edition for more than a decade. Based in Mumbai, Faisal currently covers three major political parties in Maharashtra — Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and NCP (Sharad Pawar). Over the years, he has extensively reported on major political developments, combining investigative insights with in-depth field reporting. His coverage has spanned a wide range of issues, from drought, farmer suicides, major development projects and grassroots challenges to major electoral battles, including three Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections — 2014, 2019 and 2024. Before joining Hindustan Times, he worked with ‘The Asian Age’ and ‘Dainik Bhaskar’. An avid tea enthusiast, he enjoys reading history, Urdu literature and classical poetry. When away from the newsroom, he writes Urdu poetry inspired by human emotions, life's experiences, meaningful reflections and relationships. An amateur photographer, Faisal is passionate about capturing moments that often go unnoticed by the naked eye.Read More