Page 19 - Devendra Fadnavis

MVA gave contract to frame, jail me in false cases, says Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday alleged that during the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, a "contract" was given to some officials to frame him and other BJP leaders in false cases and put them behind bars. Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, he said the Uddhav Thackeray-led dispensation failed to put him and other BJP leaders in jail as many good officials refused to lodge false cases against them. Fadnavis was responding to a query about former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh's allegation that former home minister Anil Deshmukh pressured him to file false cases against certain BJP leaders. "What he (Singh) said about efforts being made to arrest me and other BJP leaders is completely true. He only talked about one incident, but there are four such incidents wherein conspiracies were hatched to arrest me in false cases," he said. "However, we were able to expose those conspiracies at that time. We also gave video evidence of ...

Param Bir targeted me at Fadnavis' behest, says Deshmukh; BJP denies

Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Monday claimed Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis had tried to save ex-Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh from arrest by asking him to level allegations against Deshmukh to topple the MVA government. The BJP dismissed the charges, saying it was a strategy to defame Fadnavis, and asked how could a leader who was then in opposition ask a police officer for such a thing. When the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was in power in 2021, NCP (SP) leader Deshmukh resigned as home minister after Singh accused him of setting a target to collect Rs 100 crore a month from bars and restaurants. Deshmukh has also claimed that dismissed police officer Sachin Waze was levelling allegations against him at the behest of Fadnavis. Waze is accused of planting gelatin sticks outside industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence 'Antilia' in February 2021 and is also booked for the related murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran, the owner of the ...

Fadnavis taking political vengeance by using ex-cop Waze: Deshmukh

Former Maharashtra home minister and senior NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh on Sunday claimed Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was taking "political vengeance" by levelling allegations against him using sacked police officer Sachin Waze. Talking to reporters here, Deshmukh challenged Fadnavis to make Justice Chandiwal Commission report public, claiming he had been given a clean chit. "Retired Justice Chandiwal conducted an inquiry for 11 months on the allegations against me by former Mumbai commissioner Parambir Singh and dismissed police officer Sachin Waze, who had clearly stated that neither I nor my PA had asked him for money or given him any," the NCP (SP) leader said. Waze on Saturday reiterated bribery allegations against Deshmukh, prompting the opposition to question the "timing" and Fadnavis assuring an inquiry. Deshmukh resigned as home minister in 2021 after Param Bir Singh accused him of setting a target to collect Rs 100 crore a month from bars and restaurants in

Parties struggle with seat-sharing as Maharashtra Assembly elections near

And this much is clear: That in the upcoming Assembly election, negotiations over seat-sharing will be as important as actual outreach to voters

Make public clips of my alleged remarks against Pawar, Uddhav: Deshmukh

Senior NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh on Thursday dared Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to make public the video clips against him purportedly showing him speaking against NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray. Addressing a press conference here, Deshmukh said, "Fadnavis should make the video clips public because I know he possesses none." Deshmukh also showed a pen drive saying that it contains evidence about the allegations he made against Fadnavis. He reiterated his allegation that three years ago, he was pressured by BJP leader Fadnavis to make an affidavit and level false allegations against Uddhav Thackeray, Ajit Pawar, Aaditya Thackeray and Anil Parab. When asked about the pen drive in his hand, Deshmukh said it contains proof of his allegations against Fadnavis. "If I am challenged, I will reveal the video evidence I have. I don't speak without proof," he said. On Wednesday, Deshmukh alleged that an 'intermediary' of Fadnavis ..

Maharashtra govt in talks with 3 firms for semiconductor plant: Fadnavis

The Maharashtra government was in talks with three companies to set up a semiconductor plant in the state, deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said here on Saturday. He was speaking after inaugurating, along with Union minister Nitin Gadkari, a medical equipment and consumables manufacturing facility of HORIBA India in Butibori area. HORIBA India is a subsidiary of HORIBA Ltd, a Japanese firm. Fadnavis thanked HORIBA chairman Atushi Horiba for setting up manufacturing units in Pune and Nagpur. The Maharashtra government was in talks with three companies including HORIBA to set up semiconductor facilities in the state, he said, and proposed that HORIBA set up a semiconductor plant in Nagpur. Land will be kept reserved for the same, he said. Speaking on the occasion, Union minister Gadkari thanked HORIBA India for starting its plant in the city. HORIBA India in a press release said the Nagpur plant will have an investment of about Rs 200 crore in a phased manner and will serve

Maha Police lodges 1st FIR under new criminal law in Sawantwadi: Fadnavis

The first FIR in Maharashtra under the new Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) was registered by the Sawantwadi police in Sindhudurg district on Monday, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in the state assembly. He did not give details of the case. Three new criminal laws came into effect on Monday, bringing far-reaching changes in India's criminal justice system. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) replaced the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively. Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio, said in the House that the first FIR under the new criminal law provisions was registered at 2.19 am at the Sawantwadi police station. He also said Maharashtra for the first time has a woman chief secretary following the appointment of Sujata Saunik to the post. Rashmi Shukla is the first woman DGP (Director General of Police) of the state, he .

Law to curb paper leaks in ongoing Maha legislature session: Dy CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said a law to curb exam paper leaks will be enacted during the ongoing monsoon session of the state legislature. Fadnavis made the announcement in the state assembly while replying to a supplementary question during the Question Hour on the issue of recruitment in government jobs. Congress member Balasaheb Thorat, NCP (SP) legislator Rohit Pawar, BJP's Ashish Shelar and Bhaskar Jadhav of the Shiv Sena (UBT) asked the government if it will enact a strong law to curb paper leaks. Fadnavis said a bill will be tabled in this session itself for the enactment of the law. In the wake of the alleged leak of NEET paper and malpractices in various other exams, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Saturday said the state government must enact a strict law to curb paper leaks and punish the guilty.

Union HM Amit Shah likely to address BJP meeting in Pune on July 14

Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah is likely to address a party meeting in Pune on July 14 ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections, the party's state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said here on Saturday. Speaking to reporters, he said, "Nearly 4,500 party functionaries will attend a meeting of the BJP in Pune. We have requested Amit Shah to address the meeting and he has agreed to come to Pune. The meeting will be crucial ahead of Maharashtra assembly elections." The assembly elections are likely to be held in October this year. When asked about the Maharashtra legislative council polls scheduled next month, Bawankule said, "The names will be finalised either today or tomorrow. I am sure that our central parliamentary board will finalise some good names that will be beneficial for the state." "The BJP would like to have the chairperson post of the state legislative council, but we will discuss it with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Aji

Pune police chief played proactive role in Porsche crash probe: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday told the legislative assembly that Pune police chief Amitesh Kumar had a proactive role in the investigation into the Porsche crash and there was nothing to suggest that action should be taken against him. Fadnavis made the assertions during a debate on the high-profile case raised through a calling attention notice. During the debate, Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar demanded the Pune police commissioner's resignation. Conceding that there are issues of use of money to buy justice, Fadnavis said, "This should not be allowed. We have to see how laws can be strengthened further. The issue is serious but there is no need to defame Pune police. They have taken action in the case. Erring police officials have been punished. He said Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar had a proactive role in the probe into the accident and nothing has come up to suggest that he should face action. Two software professionals lost their

No injustice will be done to OBCs while giving reservation to Marathas: CM

No injustice will be done to Other Backward Classes or any other community while giving reservation to the Marathas, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assured on Wednesday on the eve of the monsoon session of the state legislature. Holding a press conference here along with his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, Shinde said the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP alliance would not shower assurances on people, but the budget to be presented during the session -- last before the assembly elections -- will be beneficial for farmers, the youth and women. No injustice will be done to the OBCs or any other community while giving reservation to the Maratha community, he said, pointing out that the Mahayuti government convened a special session to give 10 per cent reservation to the Marathas earlier this year. While the Marathas led by Manoj Jarange are demanding reservation in the OBC category, OBC leaders including senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal are opposed to sharing reservation .

Jarange's demand for term in Maratha quota won't pass legal test: minister

Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan on Wednesday said the demand by quota activist Maroj Jarange for the inclusion of the "sage soyare" term in the Maratha reservation notification will not withstand legal scrutiny. The term "sage soyare" in Marathi means through birth relations and relations by marriage. Speaking to the reporters in Pune, Mahajan accused the opposition of deriving political mileage from the Maratha reservation issue and asserted that it was the Devendra Fadnvais government which had granted the quota to the Maratha community without disturbing the allocation of other communities. "In the last 50 years, had anyone made efforts to give reservation to the Maratha community? (NCP-SP Chief) Sharad Pawar had even said there was no need to give reservation to Marathas," claimed the BJP leader, a confidant of Fadnavis. Mahajan noted that after the BJP-led government granted the reservation to the Maratha community, the subsequent Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government failed

After Maha CM meets Dy CMs, BJP leaders leave for review meet in Delhi

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde held a late night meeting with Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar after which some state BJP leaders left for Delhi for a review meet, sources said on Tuesday. Details of the meeting were not available. It was convened in the backdrop of the ruling Mahayuti's below par performance in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections. "CM Shinde held a meeting with Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar at his official residence 'Varsha'. After Pawar left, Shinde and Fadnavis continued the meeting for some time," a source in the BJP said on Tuesday. BJP's central leadership has called a review meeting with state leaders in connection with the party's performance in the Lok Sabha polls. "It is a routine exercise in the BJP to hold such review meetings with state leaders. (BJP leader) Fadnavis offered to resign some days back after the results were out. He had stated that he wished to work for the party full-time till the state assembly elections. This will

Genuine introspection, strategy needed to revive BJP's fortunes: Fadnavis

In the wake of the BJP's Lok Sabha tally coming down from 23 to 9 in Maharashtra, senior party leader and state Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday stressed the need for genuine introspection and a strategy to revive the saffron outfit's fortunes. Addressing a meeting of the party aimed at taking stock of the results of the Lok Sabha elections, Fadnavis claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost several seats due to polarisation. "We require a strategy and genuine introspection. Just analysis is not enough," he said. "Heavens have not fallen. We got only two lakh votes less in the state, while in Mumbai we received two lakh more votes. BJP was ahead in 130 assembly segments. But there was tremendous polarisation," the former chief minister said. There was a false narrative that the BJP would change the Constitution if voted to power. This narrative was strong in the first three phases. But we countered this narrative well after the three phases. Hence, we ...

NCP missed out for insisting on cabinet berth instead of MoS: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party wanted a cabinet berth in the Narendra Modi government and declined an offer from the BJP of minister of state (MoS) with independent charge. "We had offered one berth of minister with independent charge to the NCP but it was insistent that (Rajya Sabha MP) Praful Patel's name be finalised. Due to his (Patel's) experience, the NCP believed he could not be made MoS with independent charge," he said. "In a coalition government, a formula has to be drawn, which cannot be broken for one party. I can confidently say whenever cabinet expansion takes place, the (Union) government will consider the NCP. We did try to include NCP right now, but they insisted on cabinet portfolio," the senior BJP leader asserted. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP, part of the ruling alliance in Maharashtra along with the BJP and the Shiv Sena, performed poorly in the Lok Sabha polls, managing to win just one

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Is Team Uddhav aligning with NDA? Party says no

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of the Shiv Sena said it is going to remain with the INDIA alliance and will not switch back to the NDA

Fadnavis villain of Maha politics; indulged in political vendetta: Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday hit out at senior BJP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, calling him the "villain" in Maharashtra politics, and accused him of destroying many families and resorting to political vendetta. Raut's remarks come a day after Fadnavis offered to step down from post of deputy CM after the BJP's Lok Sabha seat tally in the state came down from 23 to 9, and said he wants to work "full time" for the party ahead of the assembly elections due later this year. Raut also asserted that if Narendra Modi tries to become the prime minister for the third time "forcibly", his government will not last and that the RSS was working to look for an alternative. Talking to reporters in Delhi, the Rajya Sabha member said, "If there is any villain in Maharashtra politics, then it is Devendra Fadnavis. The BJP's drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls is due to Devendra Fadnavis." "Fadnavis has destroyed many families and resorted to politica

'Relieve me from Maharashtra Dy CM duties': Devendra Fadnavis requests BJP

Devendra Fadnavis' decision follows the BJP's poor performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra

Cong slams Fadnavis over FDI data, says Maha has always been on top

The Congress on Saturday said that Maharashtra has continuously topped the list of foreign direct investment (FDI) receivers and attacked Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over his comment that the state's ranking went down during MVA rule. Citing data from Union ministry of industries, state Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said Maharashtra got about 33 per cent of all FDI in the country between 2000 and 2012. In terms of overall FDI from October 2019 to June 2022, Maharashtra ranked first even during the tenure of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Sawant said. The MVA government under Uddhav Thackeray fell in June 2022 after Eknath Shinde led a rebellion in Shiv Sena and joined hands with the BJP to become the chief minister. Congress is an MVA partner. Maharashtra, which lagged in attracting FDI during MVA rule, has again risen to the top position in the past two consecutive years, Fadnavis had said on Friday. You (Fadnavis) presented data from April 2021 to Marc

Chhagan Bhujbal demands 80-90 seats for NCP in upcoming Assembly polls

Maharashtra minister and senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Monday demanded that his party be given 80-90 seats to contest in the assembly elections due this year. BJP is the largest party and will contest in more seats, said Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Speaking at a party's meeting here, Bhujbal said, When we joined the alliance (BJP-Shiv Sena), we were assured of getting 80 to 90 seats to contest in the assembly elections. However, for this Lok Sabha polls, we got very few seats to contest. We must tell them (BJP) that we want more seats to contest so that we could win around 50 to 60 seats, he said. Of the 288 seats in the state, BJP had won 105 in 2019 state polls, while the undivided NCP had bagged 54 seats. If we get 50 seats to contest because of the current number of MLAs with the party, how many will actually get elected out of those 50, he wondered. He also expressed displeasure over reports that Manusmriti, an ancient Hindu text, will likely be taught in