Lok Sabha election results 2024: Devendra Fadnavis to stay, told to continue work

Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, who has offered to quit in the wake of the party's poor show in the state, has been asked to continue to work in the government. BJP top shot and Union home minister Amit Shah is learnt to have told Fadnavis to stay on and assured him a review of the political situation in the state after PM Narendra Modi's swearing-in.

Fadnavis met Shah and the party's national president JP Nadda on Friday. He was present at the NDA meeting that appointed Modi as the leader of the Lok Sabha for the third time in a row.

Senior minister Girish Mahajan told the media persons in New Delhi that he didn't know the details of what transpired between Shah and Fadnavis, but he nearly confirmed that the DCM was not going out. He said Fadnavis had told the BJP colleagues and senior leaders that he wanted to tour the state extensively in an outreach programme before the Assembly polls due in October.

"He wants to work full-time for three months. So he offered to resign. But we in the state have resolved to not let him quit from the government. If need be, we will seek the leadership's time to express our sentiment," he said, endorsing the information that developments, if any, were expected to take place after the Modi cabinet settled down.

"We want Fadnavis in the government as well as the organisation. He is capable of playing multiple roles. The performance in the elections is not his sole responsibility. It was a teamwork and we all share the failure," said Mahajan.

'Not in the race'

Mahajan dismissed reports that he was in the race to replace Fadnavis as the DCM. "It is not true. The news reports are baseless," he added.

Meeting with CM, Ajit

Fadnavis discussed the issues at hand with CM Shinde, DCM Ajit Pawar, minister Chhagan Bhujbal and MP Sunil Tatkare at NCP leader Paful Patel's residence in New Delhi before meeting Shah.

Ajit Pawar confirmed the meeting but refused to divulge more details. He said they talked about the preparation for the Assembly elections. He said the matter related to Fadnavis was the BJP's internal matter.

However, sources said that the CM, DCM and other leaders tried to convince Fadnavis to remain in the state government. Pawar also confirmed that he has asked for NCP's participation in the Modi cabinet. Shinde too is expected to get a berth or two.