'BJP won the mandate in Maharashtra': JP Nadda predicts relegation of MVA to opposition

Taking on the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, BJP president JP Nadda on Thursday predicted that Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress will be permanently relegated to the opposition in the near future. Lauding the leadership of former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Nadda contended that there was total confusion in the functioning of the Uddhav Thackeray-led government. He claimed that BJP leaders had done stellar work on the ground during the COVID-19 crisis as compared to the government.

Addressing the Maharashtra BJP Executive meeting, he stressed that Shiv Sena had betrayed the people of the state. The BJP president was referring to the inability of NDA to form the government in Maharashtra despite winning a comfortable majority in the 2019 Assembly polls. Nadda maintained that the mandate of the people was with BJP, which could win a majority on its own. 

BJP president JP Nadda remarked, "We know what the situation is in Maharashtra at present. The left side doesn't know what the right side is doing and vice versa. No one knows who is running the government. We saw how our party workers worked during the COVID-19 crisis while the state government was disinterested. It is necessary to highlight all these things and send this government packing in the near future. The people of Maharashtra supported BJP. It wanted to make Devendra Fadnavis as the Chief Minister. If you look at the mandate, it is in favour of BJP. We accept it as betrayal is a part of politics. Today, we are in the opposition. In the coming future, all three parties will be forever relegated to the opposition. And BJP will win a majority in Maharashtra on its own. We have the strength. People are waiting. The betrayal is not with BJP but the people of Maharashtra."

Read: In Sushant Case, Did MVA Govt Direct Mumbai Police To Ignore Drug Angle?: Ram Kadam To CM

Read: Unease Within MVA? Sharad Pawar Distances NCP From Shiv Sena's Tussle With Kangana Ranaut

The buzz about regime change

NDA could not form the government in 2019 over Shiv Sena's demand for the rotational CM post. After the imposition of the President's Rule in the state, BJP took a surprising step of joining hands with NCP's Ajit Pawar, who had reportedly promised the support of other legislators. However, the new Fadnavis-led government had to resign ahead of the SC-mandated floor test owing to the paucity of numbers. 

Subsequently, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray took oath as the CM of Maharashtra backed by new allies NCP and Congress on November 28, 2019. Recently, a meeting between Sena MP Sanjay Raut and Fadnavis set the rumour mills buzzing. However, both leaders insisted that their interaction which lasted for at least 2 hours was focused only on the modalities for the Saamana interview. Moreover, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar stressed that there was no threat to the Maharashtra government.

Read: Congress Complains At Being Ignored By Sena, NCP; Poster War Begins Between MVA Allies