Uddhav refused to meet me, I was told not to go to Matoshree: Fadnavis

To a question over his ‘credibility’ after his thwarted attempt to form the government with NCP leader Ajit Pawar, Fadnavis said the November 23 bid for power was an 'attempt to stay relevant'. He added that he had never supported the decision.

Maharastra government formation, maharashtra power sharing, maharashtra power tussle, maharashtra assembly results, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray, maharashtra news, indian express news

Former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. (File)

FORMER Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday revealed for the first time that Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had refused to meet him to hold discussions on power sharing after the Assembly election results.
Fadnavis said after the Sena chief refused to hold a dialogue with the BJP, he had called him repeatedly. However, Uddhav had refused to take the calls, he said.

During an interaction with journalists at Patrakar Sangh in Pune, when he was asked why he didn’t just visit the Sena chief’s residence Matoshree in Mumbai to meet Uddhav, he said, “I tried, I told them, I will come, they said no…This is not a question of an individual. If someone says don’t come and is not ready to talk, then there is no point in going to them”.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, however, said, “We had said that if they were denying that there was an agreement over 50-50 power sharing, then we were not interested in holding talks. But we never said not to visit Matoshree”.

To a question over his ‘credibility’ after his thwarted attempt to form the government with NCP leader Ajit Pawar, Fadnavis said the November 23 bid for power was an attempt to stay relevant. “In politics, you have to remain relevant. Initially, we were waiting for the Shiv Sena to approach us…We never thought the Sena will join hands with the Congress. Even as we were waiting for the Sena, President’s rule was imposed…After that we realised that they had all … made us irrelevant. The party which had scored more percentage of votes and number of seats, was being sidetracked… In this situation, when Ajit Pawar came to us, we thought we should remain relevant. We resorted to guerrilla warfare tactics, we thought it was an opportunity at a time when we were made irrelevant.” Fadnavis said.

He added that he had never supported the decision. “In future, we will come to know whether the move was right or wrong. It might prove to be wrong. But to remain relevant, we accepted the offer (from Ajit Pawar),” said Fadnavis.

Fadnavis also said the BJP will have to understand the new arithmetic that has emerged, wherein opposition parties come together and contest elections against the BJP. “When the fight is between a political party and an alliance of multiple parties, then the situation is different,” he said, adding that the new situation will have to be taken into consideration while contesting elections.

The leader of the opposition also took on the Maha Vikas Aghadi government — an alliance of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray — saying they had conducted the Assembly session merely as a formality as the government was not able to respond to any issue raised by the opposition.

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Fadnavis also criticised the farm loan waiver recently announced by Uddhav, saying, “The loan waiver … is nothing but cheating farmers. The parties in the ruling alliance had assured complete waiver of farm loan but they have failed to implement it,” he said.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, Pune, a role that reflects his seniority and editorial Authority. He is a highly specialized journalist whose work demonstrates significant Expertise in the critical areas of urban development, governance, and sustainability, often linking policy to its on-the-ground impact across Maharashtra. Expertise Senior Editorial Role: As an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Ajay Jadhav contributes to the editorial direction and maintains high standards of Trustworthiness and quality in his reporting. Core Specialization: His reporting focuses intensely on the intersection of infrastructure, politics, and social development, with expertise in: Infrastructure and Civic Issues: Provides in-depth coverage of crucial development and urban governance topics. His work includes reporting on the glaring contrast between planned infrastructure projects (like private helipads) and the lack of basic facilities (schools and hospitals) in politically significant areas, highlighting accountability gaps. Politics and Governance: Consistently reports on political developments, scrutinizing decision-making that affects public life and development initiatives in Maharashtra. Sustainable Development & Environment: Demonstrates a commitment to responsible development by reporting on initiatives that successfully protect the environment while ensuring essential infrastructure development. Investigative and Policy Impact: National Impact: Ajay has written notable research articles on Conservancy staff which achieved a nationwide impact by directly contributing to the framing of policies aimed at improving the working conditions of waste-handling laborers. This demonstrates his capacity for impactful, evidence-based journalism. Additional Interests Personal Engagement: His background as a trekker and sports enthusiast suggests a keen personal interest in the environment and outdoor spaces, which likely informs his detailed and passionate reporting on sustainable development and civic issues. Ajay Jadhav's sustained focus on governance, his track record of high-impact policy-shaping research, and his critical eye for infrastructure gaps establish him as a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis in Pune and Maharashtra. ... Read More

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