Devendra Fadnavis says Amit Shah's 'firmness' helped in smooth transition of power in Maharashtra

Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said Union Home Minister Amit Shah's firmness helped in the smooth transition of power in the state earlier this year as the Bharatiya Janata Party countered "betrayal by the Shiv Sena". Fadnavis was speaking here as the chief guest at the launch of a booklet inspired by the thoughts of senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shah.

In June this year, Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde led a rebellion against the party leadership which resulted in the fall of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

Shinde later became the chief minister with BJP leader Fadnavis as his deputy.

Speaking at the event in Mumbai on Tuesday, Fadnavis said, "Amit Shah offered his staunch support to us when Maharashtra was going through the transition of power. His firmness helped in the smooth transition of power, as the BJP countered the Shiv Sena's betrayal."

The "original Shiv Sena" (referring to CM Shinde-led Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena) and the BJP could come together and form the government in Maharashtra, he said.

"Shah not only has leadership qualities but he holds the ability to deliver a decision in the right manner. Once he decides about a thing, he gets it done," Fadnavis said.

After the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, Thackeray's party had severed ties with long term ally BJP over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post.

Thackeray had then formed government with the support of the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress.