Hegde claims Fadnavis made CM to ‘protect’ Rs 40K cr Central funds
BENGALURU/MUMBAI: BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde has stoked a political row with his claim that Devendra Fadnavis was made the Maharashtra chief minister last month for few days only to protect Rs 40,000 crore central funds from being misused, an assertion used by the NCP and Shiv Sena on Monday to attack the saffron party.
The BJP was also unhappy with Hegde’s embarrassing claim, with a senior party leader in New Delhi saying that “displeasure” of the party leadership will be conveyed to the former Union minister for his “needless” remarks.
Fadnavis also dismissed Hegde’s claim as “absolutely wrong” and said nothing of that sort happened. Known for making controversial statements, Hegde on Saturday sought to give a new twist to last month’s political drama in Maharashtra, claiming it was played out to ensure funds meant for development works were protected.
Addressing a gathering, reportedly during a bypoll campaign in Yellapur in Uttara Kannada district on Saturday, he said: “more than about Rs 40,000 crore was under CM’s control. If NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena come to power certainly that Rs 40,000 crore would not have gone for development work and would have gone for different things (misused). Fadnavis, however, faced flak from Shiv Sena, which said his purported act was a treachery against Maharashtra, while the Sharad Pawar-led NCP said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have to resign if there is truth in Hegde’s remarks. Neither did the Centre ask for any funds nor did the Maharashtra government sent them back, Fadnavis asserted.
It was also said that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will clarify on the issue.