CM Fadnavis hits out at Shiv Sena, says taking a convenient stand won't help them

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who completes three years in the job at the end of this month, on Friday rejected suggestions of a resurgence of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, and hit out at coalition partner Shiv Sena for following a politics of convenience.

Calling the Raj Thackeray-led MNS a dying party, Fadnavis said that the party's members acting against hawkers was merely for show.

Asked about the MNS success in getting rid of hawkers at suburban railway stations, something that has eluded the state machinery, Fadnavis said, "MNS is doing it for the sake of showing that it is there. This party is going to die and it is you (media) people who are blowing them up out of proportion."

Fadnavis maintained that government departments were also acting against hawkers on a daily basis. "BMC, Police department, Railway police and Railways are taking action jointly every day against hawkers but government agencies can never beat up hawkers and that is why you people show it," he said.

Referring to the almost-daily criticism by coalition partner Shiv Sena, he said, "One can either be in power or in Opposition but taking convenient stance would not help Sena in a longer run. I think it would be at receiving end with such a stance.'

Fadnavis conceded there were problems in implementation of the loan waiver scheme because of discrepancies in figures from the state-level bankers committee and individual banks, but maintained that 70 per cent of farmers would receive their money by November 25.

As for the defection of 6 MNS corporators to the BJP, Fadnavis said they had approached the party and he had decided from Day One to let them join the Shiv Sena. He also dismissed reports that the BJP had offered these corporators money to their decision.

As for a cabinet reshuffle, Fadnavis said former CM Narayan Rane "would be given his due since he is now an NDA alliance partner".