Maharashtra Elections: Devendra Fadnavis on BJP's narrative change after LS polls, CM's post, Maratha quota and more
BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is on a whirlwind campaign, addressing almost five rallies a day, in the run-up to the Maharashtra polls. Excerpts from an interview with ET’s Krishna Kumar & Jatin Takkar:
On BJP’s narrative change after the LS polls:
During the Lok Sabha polls, the opposition played up the narrative that reservations will go away, which pushed Dalits away. Secondly, adivasis were polarised against us. After the elections, we went to the people and even they realised that reservation will not go away. The entire fake narrative has been wiped out. Also, there was ‘vote Jihad’ against us as in several constituencies. Now, even if it happens, the impact would be limited. MVA has not realised that due to this voting pattern (of Muslims), there is a subtle feeling among people that if such things happen, then it is not good and pressure groups could be created. The Congress accepting their demands of the Ulema, especially the one where they have agreed to release rioters from 2012 to 2024, is dangerous and will backfire on them.
On the 2019 short-lived government with NCP:
While we were trying to get in touch with Uddhav Thackeray to form the government, it was Sharad Pawar who first sent two senior party leaders to us to form a government with them. I was surprised at the offer. However, we were told that the offer has come from Sharad Pawar himself. We met and decided on cabinet posts and guardian minister posts. It was Sharad Pawar who decided the strategy that since the elections had happened just now,
