Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde with his son and MP Shrikant Shinde and daughter-in-law Vrushali Shinde meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on December 26, 2024
| Photo Credit: ANI
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday (December 26, 2024) during what he described as a “courtesy call” following the expansion of the state cabinet. Mr.Shinde, who spent an hour with the Prime Minister, was accompanied by his son Shrikant Shinde, a Lok Sabha MP from Kalyan, and daughter-in-law Vrushali Shinde.
The Deputy Chief Minister also held meetings with Union Ministers Amit Shah, JP Nadda, and Kiran Rijiju during his visit to the national capital, which was a stopover before heading to Srinagar for a family holiday. This marked Mr. Shinde’s second meeting with the Prime Minister, the first being on July 22.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr. Shinde emphasized that his discussions with PM Modi were not political but centered on the development of Maharashtra.
“This is my first meeting with the Prime Minister after the Maharashtra cabinet expansion. I also had the opportunity to meet Union Ministers Amit Shah, JP Nadda, and Kiran Rijiju,” he said. “Over the past two and a half years, we have demonstrated how effectively projects and welfare schemes can be implemented. The public has acknowledged and appreciated our efforts. I also extend my gratitude to the Prime Minister for his visits to Maharashtra during the Assembly elections,” he added.
Mr. Shinde reiterated his government’s ambition to position Maharashtra as a trillion-dollar economy, aligning with the Prime Minister’s broader goal of transforming India into a $5-trillion economy. “With Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the helm, we aim to craft a roadmap that will firmly establish Maharashtra as the leading state in the country. Our focus will be on addressing areas that remained untapped over the past two and a half years,” he stated.
On ‘One Nation, One Election’
As his son, Mr. Shrikant Shinde, is part of the Joint Parliamentary Committee tasked with studying the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill, Mr. Shinde reiterated his support for the initiative, while criticising opposition parties, particularly Congress, for opposing the concept.
“A significant amount of public money is spent on conducting elections. Implementing ‘One Nation, One Election’ would not only save these resources but also boost the country’s progress,” Mr.Shinde said. “It is disappointing that opposition parties, especially Congress, fail to recognize the benefits of such a reform,” he added.
The allocation of guardian minister roles within the BJP-led Mahayuti government has emerged as a point of contention. Mr.Shinde is reportedly seeking the guardian minister post for Thane, his home district, while Deputy CM Ajit Pawar is lobbying for Pune.
Published – December 27, 2024 03:42 am IST