Fadnavis didn't seem happy accepting Dy CM's post but followed orders, says Pawar

Pune: NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday claimed that BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis did not appear to be happy while accepting the deputy chief minister's post in Eknath Shinde's government.

While rebel Shiv Sena leader Shinde was sworn in as the new chief minister of Maharashtra following the collapse of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government, Fadnavis, a former CM who had said he would remain outside, took oath as Shinde's deputy. "I think Fadnavis has not accepted the number two position happily. His facial expression said it all," Pawar told reporters in Pune.

"(But) He is from Nagpur and he has worked as a `swayamsevak' (with the RSS) and there, when an order comes, it has to be followed," the NCP chief said, adding that Fadnavis might have accepted a junior position due to this`sanskar' (values). He also spoke about the alleged misuse of central agencies under the BJP government, claiming that he received letters from the Income Tax department regarding his election affidavits in 2004, 2009 and 2014.

Pawar also said that the Eknath Shinde faction had not expected that their leader would become anything more than a deputy CM.