Fadnavis made CM to protect Rs40K cr: MP

Ex-CM refutes claim; Uddhav says govt reviewing bullet train project

What BJP MP said

Devendra Fadnavis was made the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for around 80 hours last month to “protect” Rs 40,000 crore central funds from being “misused”

Ex-CM’s clarification

It (Hegde’s claim) is absolutely wrong and I refute it completely… Neither did the Centre ask for any funds nor did the Maharashtra Government send them back. — Devendra Fadnavis, former cm

NCP’s stance

It is impossible for the state government to return Rs 40,000 crore to the Centre. If at all it is true, then PM Modi will have to step down from his post. —Nawab Malik, ncp leader

Tribune News Service & PTI

Mumbai, December 2

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis today dismissed party MP Ananthkumar Hegde’s claim that he was made the CM last month, only to “protect” Rs 40,000 crore central funds from being “misused”, even as Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray told reporters that his government was reviewing the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project.

Fadnavis faced flak from the Shiv Sena, which said his purported act (as claimed by Hegde) was a treachery against Maharashtra, while the Sharad Pawar-led NCP said PM Narendra Modi would have to resign, if there was truth in Hegde’s remarks.

Neither did the Centre ask for any funds nor did the Maharashtra Government send them back, Fadnavis said.

Former Union minister Hegde, yesterday said, “You all know that recently in Maharashtra for just 80 hours our person was the CM… Why did we have to do this drama? This is the question commonly every one asked.”

Fadnavis dubbed Hegde’s claim as “absolutely wrong”, and said nothing of that sort had happened.

“It (claim) is absolutely wrong and I refute it completely. A central government company is implementing the bullet train project, where the Maharashtra Government’s role is restricted to land acquisition. Neither did the Centre ask for any funds nor did the Maharashtra Government send them back,” he told reporters in Nagpur.

“Not a single rupee of the Maharashtra Government has been returned to the Centre from any other project,” he said.

Fadnavis said the state Finance Department should conduct necessary inquiry and bring out the truth.

NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik said, “It is impossible for the state government to return Rs 40,000 crore to the Centre. If at all it (Hegde’s claim) is true, then PM Modi will have to step down from his post.”

Attacking Fadnavis over Hegde’s claim, the Shiv Sena said the purported act of Fadnavis was a treachery against Maharashtra.

Terming Fadnavis and BJP Maharashtra’s “criminals”, Sena MP Sanjay Raut said the state Chief Secretary would clarify on the issue.

Meanwhile, Thackeray told reporters that the Maharashtra Government was reviewing the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project.

The CM added that his government was in the process of reviewing all development works due to the severe debt burden faced by the state. “Maharashtra faces a debt burden of Rs 5 lakh crore. We are, therefore, looking at all development works and their cost…. We will decide what needs to be prioritised and whether some of these projects are really needed,” he said.