'What if one industry has gone out of Maharashtra, we will...': Eknath Shinde amid Vedanta-Foxconn row

New Delhi: In the wake of the multi-billion Vedanta-Foxconn semiconductor project going to Gujarat, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday (September 25, 2022) said that his state will get "better ones". He also said that Metro and other projects stalled in the state in the last two-and-a-half years have been taken up on priority by his government.

"What if one industry has gone out of the state, we will get better ones," he said as the Opposition attacked his government for Vedanta-Foxconn's decision to set up its semiconductor plant in Gujarat instead of Maharashtra.

"We don't take decisions sitting in Mantralaya (state secretariat), we take decisions on the spot. Our government has removed negativity and brought in positivity in the state. This has brought 'nav chaitanya' (new consciousness) among citizens," Shinde said. 

He added that his government after coming to power in June-end this year had cleared thousands of files.

Shinde became chief minister on June 30 this year after a revolt led by him against the Shiv Sena leadership led to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, which comprised the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress.

"We are here for satya (truth) and not for satta (Power)," Shinde said adding that his was a "double engine government" and detractors were afraid of it.

"The projects in the state, including Metro, which were stalled in the past two-and-a-half years have been taken up on priority and started now," he said.

Shinde said the citizens of the state have now witnessed a change with several decisions being taken by the present government.

"When we sign orders, our intentions are very clear. We take decisions on the spot," the CM said.

"We do not have any personal agenda. We are working for the overall development of all sections of people in the state. We want a balanced development of the state," Shinde stated.

"No one can stop Maharashtra's development as we have the Centre's support," he said.

A blame game has started in Maharashtra following the announcement that the joint venture semiconductor project of Indian conglomerate Vedanta and Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn, proposed to be set up near Pune city earlier, will come up in Gujarat. 

Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena, NCP, and Congress have been targeting the Centre and the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government over the issue, saying that the Rs 1.54 lakh crore plant has been handed over to Gujarat ignoring the economic interest of the state where it was originally planned.