In a significant development, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said he would request the party leadership to relieve him from the ministerial responsibility so that he can fully focus on the preparations for the upcoming assembly polls slated for September-October this year.
Fadnavis' statement came in the wake of BJP's dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections as its tally reduced to nine from 23 in 2019.
''I will request the senior leaders to accept my resignation and give me an opportunity to work full-time for the assembly elections,'' said Fadnavis at a Press conference after the BJP-led MahaYuti failed to achieve Mission 45-plus target in Maharashtra despite riding on Modi's guarantee.
The MahaYuti was restricted to 17 against 30 seats won by the Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT).
''All the responsibility for the defeat is mine. It seems I fell short in my efforts. BJP workers have done a great job. I am not a defeatist but I want to work full time for the assembly elections. Even if I live outside, I will work. But now I want to focus full-time on the assembly,'' said Fadnavis who was accompanied by the state party chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule.
Earlier, he chaired a meeting of senior party leaders and took stock of the situation in the wake of the BJP's lacklustre performance in the Lok Sabha elections in the state.
''We did not get the expected success in Maharashtra. In fact, we got very less seats than we expected. In Maharashtra, our fight was not only with Maha Vikas Aghadi but also with the narrative set by the opponents that if BJP-led NDA is voted to power again, the Constitution would be changed,'' said Fadnavis. He further added that ''We could not stop this narrative.''
Their sacrifice shining example of valour, commitment to one’s values: PM Modi's tribute to Sahibzades
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday, paid tributes to Sahibzades on the occasion of Veer Baal Diwas and prayed that they always "guide us towards building a more just and compassionate society".
Netanyahu warns Houthis as Israel reportedly mulls new airstrike
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Houthi forces in Yemen would face consequences similar to those experienced by other anti-Israel groups.
Andhra CM Naidu meets PM Modi, seeks special financial assistance
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and some Central ministers including Amit Shah and Nirmala Sitharaman in Delhi on Wednesday, seeking special financial assistance from the Centre.
IMD and TU signs MoU for indigenous lightning detection system development
In a significant step towards enhancing India's capabilities in weather monitoring and research, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Department of Physics, Tripura University.
Tripura Chief Minister hails Officers for promoting transparency in governance
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha today said that officers in the state government are playing a key role in making the administration corruption-free which is an example of Good Governance.
NEC Plenary to usher development for Tripura: CM
Tripura Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha today said that the recently held Plenary Session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) will greatly benefit the state and other North Eastern states; as such meetings will bring more development works to this region.
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence seizes drug items worth Rs 56.525 Cr this December; 15 persons detained
In a major crackdown on the smuggling and trafficking of contraband narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) carried out a focused operation in the month of December 2024 in the North Eastern Region.
CPI(M) opts for young leaders in Tripura, chooses 87 pc new faces in divisional committees
Around 87 per cent of new faces were elected as secretaries in the CPI(M)’s Divisional Committees in Tripura replacing old guards, a party leader said here on Tuesday.