Ashok Chavan's meeting with Devendra Fadnavis sets tongues wagging

A 'chance meeting' between former Maharashtra chief ministers Ashok Chavan and Devendra Fadnavis at a Ganesh darshan in BJP functionary Ashish Kulkarni's residence on Thursday has left Congressmen wondering on what may have transpired.

Fadnavis and Chavan later said that 'nothing much' should be read as they 'bumped into each other' while visiting Kulkarni's residence for Ganesh darshan. Chavan also said that he was set to go to Delhi on Saturday to participate in Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. "There was no meeting between us, he (Ashok Chavan) had gone for darshan and was leaving, when I came in. No politics was discussed between us," Fadnavis said.

Chavan was among 11 MLAs absent when the Shinde government won the trust vote in the House. All 11 MLAs said they were 'stuck in traffic' and could not reach the Maharashtra assembly on time to vote against the Shinde government during the vote of confidence.


Fadnavis is known for his political coups. After speculation and denials in 2018, then Congress leader of Opposition Balasaheb Vikhe Patil joined the BJP. Former Congress minister and MLA Aslam Sheikh too had in July met with Fadnavis at his residence. The meeting was facilitated by BJP worker Mohit Kamboj. Fadnavis' 'biggest coup', however, was the early morning swearing-in as CM with Ajit Pawar of NCP as deputy, which unraveled in no time.