Stung by NCP Chief Sharad Pawar’s jibe on Thursday that despite Devendra Fadnavis promising to be back in 2019, he has still been unable to do so, the deputy CM said he did return with the blessings of the people, but some people betrayed the alliance. Pawar’s initial barb was aimed at PM Narendra Modi who had stated in his I-Day speech that he would return to Red Fort next year.

Fadnavis said, “I did come back again in 2022 and also brought the entire party of ‘those people’ along with me.” State BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said there will come a time when even Sharad Pawar will back PM Modi and his leadership that was taking the country forward. NCP chief Sharad Pawar, during a rally in Beed on Thursday, accused the BJP of destabilising duly elected governments in opposition-helmed states and said the policy of current rulers is to widen the wedge in society using caste, religion and language as tools.