Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule of the BJP on Tuesday dismissed former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan`s recent remarks that India could soon have a “new Prime Minister”, calling the comments “delusional”, reported news agency PTI.
Chavan, a senior Congress leader, last week cited the release of the controversial Jeffrey Epstein files in the United States on December 19 to claim India could soon have a new PM.
“Why Prithviraj Chavan is delusional, I do not know. He keeps talking anything and everything,” Bawankule told reporters in Mumbai, taking a swipe at the senior Congressman`s statements.
Chavan had also claimed a Marathi person could become the next Prime Minister. The former Union minister had said if a Marathi leader were to become the PM, he would still be from the BJP.
Bawankule said Chavan had developed a habit of making baseless statements.
“He dreams about the Prime Minister`s post, who will go and who will come. It seems Prithviraj Chavan has now become the world`s biggest fortune-teller,” the BJP leader said in sarcastic remarks, reported PTI.
Civic polls: Mahayuti partners, Sena (UBT)-MNS hold talks to firm up alliance, seat-sharing
Meanwhile, ruling Mahayuti partners, Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS on Tuesday were involved in separate parleys as rival parties in Maharashtra held talks to firm up alliances and deliberated on seat-sharing for the January 15 civic body polls, including in Mumbai.
The meetings were largely focussed on the high-stakes battle in Mumbai with Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut meeting Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray.
Speaking to reporters, Raut said his party and MNS will join hands for the upcoming civic polls in Mumbai, Mira-Bhayander , Kalyan-Dombivli, Thane, Pune and Nashik, with a formal announcement likely in the coming week.
“There is no problem in announcing the alliance (between Shiv Sena-UBT and MNS) in the coming week. Both the brothers, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, will be seen on stage for the announcement,” Raut said to a question on the tie-up, reported PTI.
On a tie-up with the Congress, Raut said stated that he spoke to the top Congress leadership, urging the party to contest the civic body polls as part of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which he believes should also include the Raj Thackeray-led MNS, reported PTI.
However, the Congress top brass has left the matter to the local leadership to decide, he added.
Both Opposition as well as the ruling Mahayuti asserted that Mumbai will see a Marathi mayor.
Talking to reporters after a meeting between Shiv Sena and the BJP, Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam stressed the ruling alliance was working with a clear focus on crossing the 150-seat mark in India`s largest civic body.
“Our discussions are aimed at ensuring Mahayuti candidates win across all 227 wards, with a clear objective of securing 150-plus seats in the BMC,” Satam told reporters.
BJP leader and minister Ashish Shelar, however, ruled out any alliance with the NCP, a key member of the ruling Mahayuti, for the Mumbai civic polls.
(With inputs from PTI)
