New Delhi: Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is all set to play an “active role” in the upcoming Bihar elections, ThePrint has learnt.
The move comes at a time when Bihar is witnessing a raging debate on the Uddhav Thackeray government’s refusal to transfer actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), amid questions being raised on the Mumbai police probe.
The Centre has already handed over the case to the CBI following recommendations by the Nitish Kumar government on the basis of an FIR lodged by the actor’s father in Patna.
According to a senior BJP leader, Fadnavis attended the core committee meeting of the BJP’s Bihar unit Thursday through video conference.
“He will definitely play an active and crucial role in the upcoming Bihar elections. He is likely to be made election in-charge or will be given a similar responsibility for Bihar elections in the coming few days,” said the leader who didn’t wish to be named.
Senior BJP leader Bhupender Yadav is the state in-charge of Bihar at present.
A source pointed out that with the death of the Bollywood actor becoming a major issue in the state and many BJP leaders pressing for a CBI inquiry expressing lack of confidence in the Maharashtra police, Fadnavis is the one who has been steering the campaign.
“The investigation into the death of Sushant Singh Rajput is likely to be a major issue in the upcoming elections and not only BJP, but many parties have been pressing for a CBI enquiry into the matter. Fadnavis has been highlighting this issue and has kept the Maharashtra government on its toes,” a second party leader said on condition of anonymity.
Also read: Sushant Singh Rajput’s death opens new front in Sharad Pawar vs Ajit Pawar friction
The Bihar polls
Bihar elections are likely to take place later this year and the BJP has already started campaigning and has conducted a few virtual rallies too.
These polls are crucial for the BJP as they come after a series of losses in state elections since 2018. The party lost the 2019 Jharkhand and 2020 Delhi elections too, and was unable to form the government in Maharashtra despite emerging as the single-largest party.
The Bihar election is also important for the party as, despite being in an alliance with the JD(U), it has lately tried to position itself as the leading partner, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah leading from the front. He held a virtual rally too in June.
“We will now start our block-level meeting as part of our preparation for the elections. We already had our district-level meetings with senior BJP leader Bhupender Yadav. We have also had meetings with intellectuals and experts too,” said Sanjay Jaiswal, state president of Bihar BJP.
Also read: BJP using Sushant Singh Rajput probe to destabilise Maharashtra govt, say coalition leaders
Role for Fadnavis
A responsibility in Bihar will be the first major assignment for Fadnavis after being the chief minister for three days last year before he resigned. Fadnavis served as the Maharashtra CM between 2014 and 2019.
On 3 August, he criticised the Maharashtra government for not letting Bihar police carry out its duty in the Rajput case. “It is really very strange that why Maharashtra Government is coming under unnecessary suspicion by not allowing Bihar Police to perform their duties,” Fadnavis said in a tweet.
It is really very strange that why Maharashtra Government is coming under unnecessary suspicion by not allowing Bihar Police to perform their duties. #SushantSinghRajputCase
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) August 3, 2020
In yet another tweet, he questioned why a Bihar police officer who had flown to Mumbai had to be quarantined. “A medical team from Kerala visited Mumbai, UP Police came to investigate Vikas Dubey case, a team from Bihar police is already working in Mumbai since 4 days but none of them were quarantined then why only an SP rank officer is treated differently?”
A medical team from Kerala visited Mumbai, UP Police came to investigate Vikas Dubey case, a team from Bihar police is already working in Mumbai since 4 days but none of them were quarantined then why only an SP rank officer is treated differently?#SushantSinghRajputCase
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) August 3, 2020
Not only Fadnavis, but his wife Amruta has also been criticising the law and order situation in the state and said Mumbai is no longer safe to live in.
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