Our CM is...: Fadnavis on Mahayuti's CM face

In the run-up to the Maharashtra assembly elections, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the ruling Mahayuti does not need to announce the candidate for the chief ministerial post, as Eknath Shinde has already been designated by the alliance for the Chief Minister's post.

IMAGE: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar during a press conference in Mumbai on October 16, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Addressing a joint press conference with Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Ajit Pawar, Fadnavis said that the ruling Mahayuti does not need to announce the candidate for the chief ministerial post “as our chief minister is sitting here”.

“The Mahayuti doesn't have to announce a CM face, our chief minister is sitting here,” Fadnavis said, adding, "I challenge Pawar Saheb (Sharad Pawar) to announce their face for the CM post."

"Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is not announcing CM face as they don't think their CM can come after elections," he added.

Last month, Sharad Pawar had said there was no need for the MVA to announce a chief ministerial candidate ahead of the election and the coalition would contest under a collective leadership.

Maharashtra will go to polls in a single phase on November 20 and the results will be declared on November 23.

Fadnavis said that the Mahayuti government has announced all the schemes and made all the financial provisions and budget for those schemes.

"I assure you that all the schemes and promises announced by us will have full support of financial provision and no scheme will lack financial support from our side. Initially when we announced the Ladki Bahin Yojana, people from the opposition were claiming that money would not be deposited in the accounts, but till now at least 4 to 5 instalments have been deposited in the accounts of more than 2.5 crore beneficiaries of our state," he said.

"The alliance (Maha Vikas Aghadi) whose home minister went to jail for accepting a bribe of Rs 100 crore, who planted bombs outside a businessman's house, who were picking up journalists and putting them behind bars, are telling us about the law and order situation. Nirbhaya Squad vehicles were being used to escort their leaders in their government. These people who were the most careless about women's safety and security should not teach us how to keep our Nari Shakti safe," he added.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde said that the work and performance of his government in the last two years is the face of the Mahayuti alliance.

He also challenged the MVA to announce a chief ministerial face.