Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis likely to meet Amit Shah, PM Modi as he indicates plan to quit the post

Mumbai: Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is likely to have a meeting with home minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This assumes significance as Fadnavis has indicated that he wants to quit his post and work for the party full-time after the disastrous performance of the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra.

Fadnavis had indicated after the core committee meeting of the state BJP Wednesday that he wanted to resign from the government and work for the party in the light of the upcoming assembly polls which would be held in October-November this year.

For the last two days, Fadnavis' supporters, including state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, have tried to convince him not to take such a step. However, Fadnavis has remained firm. He is, however, slated to meet Shah and has also sought a meeting with the prime minister.

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Those close to Fadnavis believe that he needs a free hand in running the affairs of the party and despite the debacle in the parliamentary polls (the BJP managed to win just 9 seats, down from 23 seats in 2019), the BJP could still manage to come to power in the upcoming assembly polls.

Significantly, Vinod Tawde, the BJP general secretary, has also held meetings with the BJP top brass on Thursday, prior to Fadnavis landing in Delhi. This is relevant as Tawde and Fadnavis are not the best of friends as Tawde holds Fadnavis responsible for him being denied a ticket for the 2019 assembly polls and for him being sent to Delhi.

Tawde incidentally was behind the attempt to get former BJP leader Eknath Khadse back into the BJP. Khadse, who is in the Sharad Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party, is a known baiter of Fadnavis.