‘Relieve Me Of Duties’: Devendra Fadnavis Takes ‘Responsibility’ For BJP’s Maharashtra Debacle

Devendra Fadnavis also acknowledged that coordination issues exist between him and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar of NCP.

Lok Sabha Election Results 2024: A day after the announcement of the Lok Sabha election results which saw the ruling BJP face a major reduction in the number of seats in Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Wednesday said he takes full responsibility for the party’s drubbing in the state, asserting that he would request the BJP’s top brass to to relieve him of his duties in the government so he can work towards developing a new strategy for the upcoming state elections.

“I take full responsibility for the BJP’s defeat in Maharashtra. I fell short in some places, and the setback in Maharashtra is my fault,” Fadnavis told reporters at a press conference at the BJP headquarters in Mumbai.

“To focus on the next assembly elections and fix the shortcomings, I request the top brass of my party to relieve me of my government duties. I will meet my seniors and communicate my expectations to them,” the BJP leader said.

Fadnavis also acknowledged that coordination issues exist between him and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar of NCP

He also conceded that issues of coordination exist with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar of NCP, adding that he would hold discussions with his seniors and will work as per their guidance.

“There were some issues of coordination with chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, which we will meet and discuss soon,” he conceded.

#WATCH | Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis says, “…This debacle that happened in Maharashtra, our seats have reduced, the entire responsibility for this is mine. I accept this responsibility and will try to fulfill whatever is lacking. I am not a person who will… pic.twitter.com/ypJzTTXHf4

— ANI (@ANI) June 5, 2024

The BJP-led NDA in Maharashtra faced a drubbing in the Lok Sabha Elections with the Congress-led INDIA bloc winning 30 out of the 48 parliamentary seats in the state.

Lok Sabha Election Results 2024

Almost all exit polls were proved to be nothing more than guesswork and utter hogwash as the BJP could not reach the majority mark of 272 seats by itself, ending up with 240 seats, but together with its NDA allies, the number rose up to 293, making them eligible for a third successive term at the office, albeit with a much weaker mandate than 2019.

The opposition INDIA bloc put up a stellar performance, defying predictions made by pollsters, and ended up with 232 seats, giving a tough fight to the ruling alliance.

(With PTI inputs)