For the second time in two weeks, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified that Maharashtra is unlikely to see a change in leadership. “There is not going to be any change now (in leadership). We three will remain where we are. I am happy where I am and I’m enjoying my work. Have good colleagues and have no plans to do anything else,” Fadnavis said in the legislative Assembly. He was speaking during a resolution to congratulate Vijay Wadettiwar over his appointment as the Leader of Opposition in the legislative Assembly. विधानसभेतील विरोधी पक्षनेते म्हणून आज विजय वडेट्टीवार यांच्या नावाची घोषणा विधानसभा अध्यक्षांनी केली. त्यांचे अभिनंदन करताना विधानसभेत व्यक्त केलेले मनोगत.. एकच आश्र्वस्त करतो या नव्या विरोधी पक्षनेत्यांना सभागृहाचे मुद्देसूद उत्तर मिळेल. माझ्यावेळी मात्र 'शिवाजी पार्क'टाईप… pic.twitter.com/NR1WWTiQEC — Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) August 3, 2023 Participating in a discussion initiated by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Fadnavis narrated how all three of them — Shinde, Fadnavis himself and Ajit Pawar — have changed roles since 2019. “As we all know, 2019 is an important year and sort of set records. Shinde ji was a minister, then became the CM, I was sworn in as the CM, then became LoP and later sitting here as deputy CM. Pawar ji too became deputy CM with me, later leader of Opposition and now sitting with us here,” he said, later adding that no change in this arrangement will happen now. Earlier, Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar announced Wadettiwar’s name, two days after the Congress submitted his letter. Shinde, while congratulating Wadettiwar, said that he was a leader working on the ground and not from home. “The ruling side has over 200 MLAs but that doesn’t mean that we will not listen to the voice of the opposition. It is the opposition which points out the mistakes of the ruling side for the better delivery of services to the people,” Shinde said. Replying to the ruling side’s taunts that the appointment of the LoP should have been made within the first two weeks of the legislature, Congress state unit chief Nana Patole in his speech said that Wadettiwar’s name was finalised by the party but it was waiting for instructions from the speaker about actual strength of the previous opposition party, the NCP. “We had no idea about the real strength of the NCP after few of them jumped over to the ruling side and hence we were waiting to make the announcement,” Patole said. Narverkar replied to him saying he did not receive any correspondence from the Congress asking for the same. Replying to the speeches congratulating him, Wadettiwar said that he will lead the battle of ideologies for the welfare of the people and will not launch personal attacks against anyone. “Many people on this post in the past switched sides as said by many in their speeches. Let me tell you that I stand here with honesty and not to change sides,” he said.
