Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today sought to put onus on the Centre to resolve the contentious Vidarbha statehood issue and asserted there was no threat to his post over the emotive matter on which the ruling allies BJP and Shiv Sena are deeply divided.
Making a statement on the issue in the Legislative Council a day after doing so in the Assembly, Fadnavis reiterated there was no proposal before his government to grant statehood to the region.
"The Constitution of the country gives the right of creating separate states to the Centre and not to the state government. The Centre has blanket and overriding powers in this regard. As far as the issue of Vidarbha is concerned, there is no proposal for a separate statehood for the region before the state government," Fadnavis said.
"I am the CM of a unified Maharashtra and there is no threat to my post. As a party, BJP favours creation of smaller states but Sena favours a unified Maharashtra. But in the government, both parties are working in tandem," he said.
Narayan Rane (Congress) then asked Fadnavis to clarify in the House whether he would continue as the Chief Minister of a united Maharashtra in future as well.
Responding to him, Fadnavis said, "I know you want me to remain the CM forever, which will happen... There is no need to dwell on the intricacies of words".
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Later, talking to reporters, Congress MLA Nitesh Rane said Fadnavis' evasive reply on keeping Maharashtra united in future as well indicates the BJP will push for statehood to Vidarbha ahead of the next Assembly polls.
"This issue does not end here as the Chief Minister has refused to assure both Houses that Maharashtra will remain united in future as well. The BJP has some sinister game plan in its mind which will unfold in the run up to the Assembly polls," he said.
Nitesh said BJP is living in a "fool's paradise" if the party thinks it won 44 Assembly seats in Vidarbha in 2014 due to its pro-statehood stand.
"All their gains were due to the Modi wave. If elections were to take place today on the issue of a separate Vidarbha, they would not get even four MLAs elected," he said.
