BJP made Shankarrao Chavan out of 'poor' Fadnavis, says VBA chief Ambedkar

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar on Friday said the BJP central leadership had made ''poor'' Devendra Fadnavis undergo the fate of late Congress leader Shankarrao Chavan who too had to accept a lower post after a chief ministerial stint.

In a stunning turn of events on Thursday, Fadnavis, who was seen as the frontrunner to head the government to be formed by the BJP with the Shiv Sena rebels led by Eknath Shinde, took oath as deputy CM while the latter got the top post.

BJP national president JP Nadda later said Fadnavis, who had earlier announced he would not be part of the new government, was requested by the central leadership to join as Deputy CM to steer the new dispensation with his vast experience.

Tweeting on the development, Ambedkar said, ''Poor Devendra Fadnavis @Dev_Fadnavis was made Shankarrao Chavan by the central leadership of the BJP.'' ''Shankarrao Chavan was the chief minister earlier (1975). On the direction of (then prime minister) Indira Gandhi, he became part of the government and became finance minister. Chavan followed the directions from Delhi,'' he later told reporters.

Similarly, Fadnavis was directed to take up the post of deputy chief minister. ''that is why I said Fadnavis became Chavan''. the VBA chief added.

Congress leader Shankarrao Chavan became chief minister in 1975 and served for two years, before being replaced by Vasantdada Patil. Cavan became finance minister in the Progressive Democratic Front government led by Sharad Pawar in 1978.

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