MahaYuti govt will return in Maha, more Cong leaders to join BJP: Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai, Oct 31 (IANS) BJP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis began Diwali celebrations by announcing that the MahaYuti government will come back to power in the state and also by inducting a veteran Mumbai Congress leader Ravi Raja into the party fold.

Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis said that the Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will be elected as Chief Minister after the elections hinting that many top leaders from Congress will join the BJP after Diwali.

"In the next few days, many Congress leaders will join the BJP. Don't ask me who those Congress leaders are. The MahaYuti alliance (grand coalition) government will come back to power. One can see positivity in favour of the MahaYuti," he added.

Asked a query over Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Chief Raj Thackeray's statement that the MahaYuti will form the government in the state, Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis said, "What Raj Thackeray said is a good thing. But today I tell you that the MahaYuti government will come back to power in the state with its Chief Minister."

The BJP leader also downplayed Raj Thackeray's comment that BJP will hold the Chief Minister's post.

On rebellion and cross forms filed by the MahaYuti allies in various Assembly constituencies, Deputy CM Fadnavis said, "Filing of nominations was completed on October 30. In some places, we had cross-forms. A meeting was held at Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's house on Wednesday night in this regard. It was attended by the CM, myself, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, State BJP Chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, NCP Working President Praful Patel, and State NCP Chief Sunil Tatkare. We have discussed the issues about rebels and cross-forms extensively and we hope that they will be sorted out soon. It will be reflected in the days to come."

He added that BJP rebels will withdraw their nominations before the last date of nominations scheduled for November 4.

"In some places, nominees from MahaYuti allies have filed their nominations against each other. Three parties have also decided an action plan to deal with the issue," he said.

According to Deputy CM Fadnavis, the campaigning will begin on November 4 or 5, while saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, BJP President JP Nadda and other top Central leaders, including state leaders will address rallies in the state.

He added that the BJP has already released a list of 40-star campaigners for the ongoing Assembly polls.

On former BJP MP Gopal Shetty's decision to file nomination as an independent, BJP leader Fadnavis claimed that he will soon follow the party norms.

On Shiv Sena legislator Sada Sarvankar's reluctance to withdraw his nomination in support of MNS nominee Amit Shah from the Mahim constituency, BJP leader Fadnavis said he and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde are of the view that the MahaYuti should support Raj Thackeray's son Amit Thackeray.

On NCP candidate Nawab Malik's nomination from Mankhurd Shivajinagar, the Deputy CM said that the Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar has already declared that the party will not campaign for Nawab Malik, adding that it has been his stance as well.

However, he added that the BJP will campaign for the Shiv Sena nominee who is contesting against Nawab Malik.

--IANS

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