NEW DELHI, June 30: In another twist to the fast-changing political developments in Maharashtra, the BJP leader and the former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has agreed to join the Eknath Shinde cabinet as the deputy chief minister. Though Shinde alone took oath as the chief minister on Thursday evening, Fadnavis who had earlier stated that he would not be part of the rebel shiv Sena leader’s cabinet, he was reportedly pressurised by the BJP central leadership to shed his reluctance and join the cabinet. He would join as the deputy chief minister at the net round of swearing-in when Shinde induct others in his now one-member ministry.
The BJP national president JP Nadda through a tweet announced that Fadnavis had agreed to join the cabinet while the union home minster Amit Shah thanked Fadnavis for paying heed to the party leadership despite his reservations and agreeing to join the cabinet.
Minutes after Fadnavis agreed to be a part of the Maharashtra government, Amit Shah took to twitter and wrote, “On the behest of BJP President Shri JP Nadda ji, Dev Fadnavis ji has taken a big heart and decided to join the government in the interest of the state of Maharashtra and the people. This decision is a sign of his true loyalty and service towards Maharashtra. For this I heartily congratulate him.”
Meanwhile, Shinde before he took oath announced a list of projects that would engage his priority attention. This included Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Highway, Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Versova-Bandra Sea Link (VBSL), Third Thane creek bridge, Thane-Borivali tunnel project, Kalyan-Shil Road, Thane-Ghodbunder Road and some others.
(Manas Dasgupta)