'Some People Are Still In Terror': Fadnavis On Sharad Pawar's Remark On PM Modi

Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis on Friday (17 August) took a swipe at Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar for his remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This came after Pawar suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement about returning to unfurl the tricolour at the Red Fort next year was influenced by Fadnavis, who had made similar claims during the 2019 Assembly poll campaign.

“During his Red Fort speech, he kept saying that he would return as PM; Devendra Fadnavis also said he would return as CM but could not. I have no doubt that Modi will not return as PM. The situation in the country is different,” Pawar had said, Times of India reported.

Fadnavis said that the Prime Minister Modi would address the nation from the Red Fort on Independence Day next year as the entire country was standing with PM Modi who was working tirelessly for its citizens.

During a 'shasan aplya daari' (government at your doorstep) program in Shirdi, Fadnavis spoke about the collaboration between himself, Shinde, and Ajit.

"We three have come together. You know about the working style of Shindeji and you are also aware of me and Ajit dada. We three coming together is a combination which has no challenge," he said.

Without explicitly mentioning Sharad Pawar, Fadnavis responded to his remarks, saying, "Last time, I said 'mi punha yael' (I will be back) and I can see the terror of that statement is still there. Some people are still in terror. I would like to tell him one thing that when I said 'mi punha yael', people actually brought me back but some persons betrayed us".

Referring to the division within the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena after Eknath Shinde's rebellion, which led to him becoming the chief minister, Fadnavis stated that "those who betrayed us we brought their party along with us".

"There is no reason to doubt that the people will stand with Modiji, who has taken India to new heights and has worked tirelessly for the betterment of the country. He will once again address the country from the Red Fort on August 15 next year," Fadnavis asserted.