New Delhi: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis exuded confidence on Saturday that an agreement with Shiv Sena would soon be reached.
“Shiv Sena has always been a friend and in future, I think and I hope, we will be friends,” he said at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in New Delhi.
Fadnavis, however, refused to divulge information on the ongoing talks between the two erstwhile allies, and said the dialogue was moving in the “right direction”.
Fadnavis’ remark came two days after Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who was BJP’s Maharashtra in-charge, hoped that “something good” will emerge out of the talks between the two parties.
He also denied that RSS is mediating between the two parties.
“RSS never mediates. It does not get into politics. It is a powerhouse from where we derive the power of nationalism.
Both the parties have known and worked together for the past 25 years. We can talk to each other,” Fadnavis said.
Fadnavis, who enjoys RSS’s support and often meets Sangh leaders, said, “When we talk to them, we talk about the nation.”
Facing flak for receiving NCP’s support during the confidence motion, Fadnavis said he said that his party has neither accepted nor denied the “unilateral” support extended by the NCP. He said he was never criticised so much in his 22-years of political life as much as he was during the first three days after the vote.
“NCP unilaterally offered us support. But yes, we neither denied nor accepted the support,” he said, adding, that “somethings had to be done”.
Taking a dig at AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, the Maharashtra Chief Minister said he did not want to be like the former Delhi chief minister and run away from his responsibilities.
“I had an option of becoming Arvind Kejriwal and run away from the responsibility. But judge me by my actions,” Fadnavis said.