Will extend all possible cooperation to Fadnavis, will work as a team: Shinde

Eknath Shinde, former chief minister of Maharashtra and now its deputy chief minister, has said he will extend all possible cooperation to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and work as a team.

Addressing a news conference on Thursday (December 5), Shinde described his tenure as chief minister as very successful. He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for firmly backing the Mahayuti government in the last two and a half years.

“Will work as a team”

Shinde said not only did the Mahayuti secure a majority, but the poll results did not even give the Opposition enough numbers to have a leader of opposition in the assembly.

Also read: Fadnavis is winner, but Ajit Pawar is Man of the Match

Shinde said when he was the chief minister, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, both his deputies, extended cooperation to him and they worked as a team.

“The way Devendra ji and Ajit Dada (Pawar) helped and cooperated with me (when he was the CM), I will extend all possible cooperation and backing to the chief minister. We will work as a team,” Shinde told reporters.

Shinde rubbishes “upset” rumours

Playing on the acronyms CM (chief minister) and DCM (deputy chief minister), Shinde said he worked as “common man” and will now be “dedicated to the common man” 24/7.

The deputy chief minister said at the first Cabinet meeting after the swearing-in ceremony that officials have been instructed to disburse the next instalment of the Ladki Bahin scheme to beneficiaries. Under the scheme, women with an annual family income of less than Rs 2.5 lakh are given Rs 1,500 as monthly aid.

Shinde rubbished all talk of him being upset over not being made chief minister.

The “real” Shiv Sena

When he led a revolt (against then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray) in 2022, 39 Shiv Sena MLAs were with him, Shinde pointed out. Today, the party has 57 MLAs and asserted the people of the state have given their seal of approval on which is the real Shiv Sena.

Also read: Last time, Fadnavis recommended my name, now I returned gesture: Shinde

In the evening, Shinde was a given a rousing welcome when he arrived at Anand Ashram, the headquarters of the Shiv Sena in Thane named after his mentor Anand Dighe, following the swearing-in ceremony.

Several hundred party workers thronged the area carrying placards and shouting slogans in his praise. They also shouted slogans glorifying Dighe and Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray.

(With agency inputs)