Devendra Fadnavis confirms calling independent MLA Bacchu Kadu to join Eknath Shinde

Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said he had asked Independent MLA Bacchu Kadu to support the June rebellion of Eknath Shinde.

Shinde's rebellion led to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government on June 29. ShindeShinde was sworn in as chief minister the next day with Bharatiya Janata Party's Fadnavis as his deputy.

Incidentally, the BJP's top brass, including Fadnavis and then state unit chief Chandrakant Patil, have, so far, been maintaining the rebellion was caused by internal strife in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena and that it had done nothing to precipitate matters.

Bacchu Kadu had gone to Guwahati on call of Fadnavis

Responding to a question related to the war of words between Kadu and Independent MLA Ravi Rana over bribery allegations, Fadnavis said, "Independent MLA Bacchu Kadu had gone to Guwahati with Eknath Shinde on my phone call. I called him and told him we need your support and participation in the formation of the new government. Thus, he went there and joined."

Kadu, a junior minister in Thackeray's government, had joined Shinde in Surat and later flew to Guwahati. Rana has alleged Kadu, who heads the Prahar Janshakti Party, accepted money to join the Shinde group.

The Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government came into being after the Shiv Sena and BJP bickered over the sharing of the chief ministerial tenure and parted ways. Thackeray then joined hands with the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party to form government in the state.

Published on: Monday, October 31, 2022, 06:50 PM IST