From Maharashtra CM to 'Sevak': How life changed for Devendra Fadnavis

Updating Twitter profile

Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday changed his Twitter bio to “Maharashtra’s Sevak” (Maharashtra’s servant). As chief minister, Fadnavis often used his Twitter handle @Dev_Fadnavis for official communication. The BJP leader had changed his Twitter bio from “Chief Minister of Maharashtra” to “caretaking chief minister” last week when the BJP announced that it was in no position to form the government. He quit on November 8 after the Bharatiya Janata Party failed to work out a power-sharing deal with the Shiv Sena, its ally. Fadnavis, 49, is the first chief minister of Maharashtra after Vasantrao Naik to complete a full term.

Jharkhand war hots up

Sukhdeo Bhagat former Jharkhand Congress chief who switched to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recently, filed his nomination from the Lohardaga Assembly (reserved for Scheduled Tribes) seat on Wednesday. Bhagat, who is a sitting MLA from Lohardaga, is pitted against Rameshwar Oraon, a former Indian Police Service officer who is currently chief of the Congress’ Jharkhand unit. Oraon had succeeded Ajoy Kumar, who quit the Congress in the aftermath of the Lok Sabha polls and joined the Aam Aadmi Party. Bhagat, along with three other Congress legislators, joined the BJP last month. The BJP has given the party ticket to all four from their current seats. The five-phase election to the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly will conclude on December 20 and counting will be held on December 23.

Being cautious

Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav has never given up an opportunity to attack the Yogi Adityanath government on various issues, especially cases of alleged corruption or impropriety. However, “Tipu” — Yadav’s affectionate moniker — is perceptibly cautious about the DHFL controversy, in which UP power utility mandarins had allegedly flouted norms to invest in the scam-hit non-banking financial company between March 2017 and December 2018. The investments started when the power transition was underway between the outgoing SP and now incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party. UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) Managing Director A P Mishra was still at the helm. During the SP regime (2012-17), Mishra had the ruling dispensation’s trust and was given multiple extensions. He is currently in the custody of the UP economic offences wing.