Devendra Fadnavis rebuts Raut’s claim on PM Modi, says there was no discussion | Mumbai news

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday rebutted Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut’s claim about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) headquarters on Sunday, saying there was no discussion about the prime minister’s successor during the trip.

At a press conference on Monday, Raut claimed that PM Modi had discussed his retirement plans with the RSS leadership and that his successor would be from Maharashtra.”RSS will decide the successor of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and he will be from Maharashtra. That’s why Modi was called to Nagpur to discuss it at a closed-door meeting.” Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP, did not reveal how he obtained the information.

Fadnavis, who is among the most prominent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Maharashtra, trashed the claim within hours. “Modi is our prime minister and he will remain prime minister in 2029 too. As far as my name is concerned, I have nothing to do with this matter.” Fadnavis said on Monday, soon after Raut made the bizarre claim.

BJP legislator Atul Bhatkhalkar said Raut was trying to create a new controversy by raising this issue. “There is no discussion on PM Modi’s successor. Raut is trying to create controversy over the issue. Instead, he should bother about Uddhav Thackeray’s successor,” Bhatkhalkar said.

This is not the first time that an opposition leader has made a prediction about PM Modi’s retirement. Or that the BJP has rubbished the claim.

To be sure, Union home minister Amit Shah has on several occasions said that the BJP would return to power in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections under PM Modi’s leadership. “I want to assure you (people) that let the Opposition make a fuss, you do not worry. In 2029 also, the NDA will come (to power), (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji will come,” Shah told a gathering in Chandigarh on August 5.