Chandrashekhar Bawankule: Want to make Fadnavis CM during my tenure; BJP placates CM

Nagpur: BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule’s statement came on Sunday, wanting to see ‘Fadnavis as CM’ the ruling coalition has clearly ruffled feathers as cabinet minister Sudhir Mungantiwar had to woo Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at a very public event later in the day.

A few hours before Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also reached Nagpur, Bharatiya Janata Party state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule had said this while addressing a public event, “It is our sole responsibility that the era of 2014-19 should come back again in Maharashtra. We all should also support Devendraji and he should get the topmost position in the state. And at least during my tenure as BJP President, Devendraji (crowd says CM) should become, yes. It is our responsibility now.”

Responding to this statement, while also speaking to various regional news channels, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde supporter and cabinet minister Shambhuraje Desai said, “In the year 2024, the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-Fadnavis government will again come back to power. And after that, both of them will take a decision and this will also be acceptable to all of us. I request the media not to create differences between the two groups.”

Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar wasted no time in calming the situation

However, state Bharatiya Janata Party leaders have also understood that such open claims, at least on the eve of the winter assembly session, may not go down too well with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar wasted no time in calming the situation by making a public statement at Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s first event after landing in Nagpur. Ending his speech at a program organized by the Forest Department, Mungantiwar said, “I will pray to God that you remain the Chief Minister as long as you want.”

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