Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis’s ‘change, not revenge’ message after taking oath: ‘No more shocks’

Devendra Fadnavis, after taking oath as Maharashtra chief minister for the third time, addressed the media on Thursday evening and asserted that he will provide a stable government over the next five years, and the state under his leadership will see politics of change and not revenge.

Maharashtra has seen major political shifts since 2019. The Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena alliance broke after the assembly election, leading to the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government by Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress. In 2022, Eknath Shinde’s rebellion split Shiv Sena, toppling the MVA. Eknath Shinde allied with the BJP, becoming chief minister. After recently conducted Maharashtra election, Devendra Fadnavis returned as the chief minister on December 5.

“From 2019 to mid-2022, we saw a lot of changes. We hope that there are no more similar shocks in the future,” NDTV quoted Devendra Fadnavis as saying.

“There will be politics of change and not revenge,” he maintained.

Fadnavis insisted this Mahayuti government will be a people-oriented administration which would function with transparency and take the state forward on the path of development with speed.

On Leader of Opposition Maharashtra assembly

He said the issue of Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Maharashtra assembly, where the Maha Vikas Aghadi has less than 50 members in the 288-strong house, has be decided by the new speaker and not the government.

In the Lok Sabha, when the main opposition party didn’t have enough numbers for the LoP post, the leader of the largest political outfit had been given all powers, he pointed out.

Who will get home and finance portfolios?

When asked who will get the key home and finance portfolios, the CM avoided a direct reply and said, “They will be with our government.”

He also rejected suggestions that Eknath Shinde, who headed the first Mahayuti government and was denied a second term as CM, was upset.

“Shinde immediately agreed to my request to join the government,” Fadnavis said. “The main leader has to be a part of the government to ensure smooth functioning,” he said.

“Roles may have changed, but focus and direction remain the same,” he said on becoming CM after serving as deputy CM under Eknath Shinde in the first Mahayuti government.

On Ladki Bahin Yojana

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis assured his government will continue the Ladki Bahin Yojana and fulfil Mahayuti’s pre-poll promise of hiking the monthly stipend under the scheme to ₹2,100 from ₹1,500 now to eligible women.

Special session of Maharashtra assembly

Fadnavis said that election of a new assembly speaker will take place on December 9 during a three-day special session of the house beginning from December 7 in Mumbai.

The CM added that the new cabinet, which currently has deputy CMs Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena) and Ajit Pawar (NCP), will be expanded before the winter session of the state legislature, which will be held in Nagpur later this month.