Shah's message for Ajit: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, sharing the stage for the first time with Ajit Pawar after his induction into the Maharashtra government, said on Sunday (August 6) that the NCP leader is “sitting at the right place” after a long time and added that he took a long time to come over.
Ajit Pawar effected a massive political upheaval in Maharashtra last month as he switched from the Opposition ranks to the ruling camp on July 2.
He joined the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government along with eight other MLAs of NCP, leading the vertical split in the Sharad Pawar-led party.
Amit Shah is on a visit to Pune, after his Odisha tour where he shared the stage with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during an event.
“Ajit Dada (Pawar) has come for the first time after becoming the Deputy CM and I am sharing the stage with him, I want to tell him that after a long time, you are sitting at the right place. This was the right place but you took too long to come,” Shah said at the launch of the digital portal of the CRCS office in Pune.
Shah praises Patnaik in Odisha
Shah on Saturday called Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik as “popular” and lauded him for becoming CM for give times in a row.
While sharing the dais with Patnaik, first time after the BJD announced its support to the Delhi Services Bill, which will be taken up in Rajya Sabha after its passage in Lok Sabha, and the party’s opposition to the no-confidence motion, Shah apparently missed no opportunity to praise Patnaik.
“Patnaik has created the record of becoming the chief minister of Odisha for five times in a row. He is a popular chief minister,” he said.
The Union minister also praised the chief minister and the BJD government for the decline in naxal violence and Maoist influence in the state.
"Odisha government and Naveen Babu have always supported the Centre to combat naxals," Shah said, adding the Centre is committed to root out naxalism from the country.
"Odisha has adopted innovative methods for disaster management and has therefore emerged as a role model for the country," he added.
Patnaik also thanked the Centre for supporting Odisha’s growth.
(With inputs from agencies)
ALSO READ | Amit Shah Odisha visit: Home Minister lays foundation stone of development projects in Kalahandi
ALSO READ | Amit Shah attacks I.N.D.I.A. bloc on services bill: 'Think about Delhi, not alliance'
