NAGPUR: Former Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole added political colour to Holi Friday with a bold invitation to deputy CMs Eknath Shinde & Ajit Pawar to form a govt without chief minister Devendra Fadnavis if they feel suffocated under his leadership, reports Vaibhav Ganjapure.
The offer comes amidst reports of friction between Fadnavis and his two deputies, fuelling further speculation about the cracks within the tripartite Maharashtra govt.
Taking a swipe at state’s governing alliance while delivering Holi greetings in Nagpur, Patole suggested Congress is willing to collaborate with Shinde and Pawar if tensions with Fadnavis escalate. “If Fadnavis is troubling you, we are ready to stand with you and form govt,” he declared. Talking to TOI, Patole said the remark was made in lighter vein for Holi. “I made a statement telling them ‘Bura na mano, Holi hai’. However, if Shinde and Ajit want to come, we will embrace them,” Patole added.
State Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal refused to elaborate on Patole’s statement or answer TOI’s query on whether he was on the same page with him. “Burra na mano, Holi hai. I won’t speak further,” he said.
Patole’s remarks unsettled MVA allies, with Sena (UBT) and Congress netas responding cautiously, and some dismissing it as Holi banter.
(With inputs from Dhananjay Sable in Akola)
