The 11th edition of Lokmat Maharashtrian of the Year Awards 2025 ceremony kicked off at Raj Bhavan with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as the special guest, joined by several other distinguished personalities. During the event, senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil conducted an interview with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. In this interview, Fadnavis answered a variety of questions posed by Patil. One of the questions Patil raised was about Eknath Shinde, to which Fadnavis responded in his signature style.
Patil asked Fadnavis, "Some people get used to being Chief Minister or Deputy Chief Minister. You were once the Chief Minister and later adjusted as Deputy Chief Minister. Did Eknath Shinde adjust as Deputy Chief Minister?" To this, Fadnavis responded, "I understand that you are hinting at Ajit dada (Ajit Pawar). Ajit dada is about to break the record for being Deputy Chief Minister. Some people always call him the Deputy Chief Minister. There is nothing wrong with that, and we wish him the best."
In response, Jayant Patil said, "We hope that Ajit dada becomes the Chief Minister," to which Fadnavis cleverly replied, "As long as he doesn't become the Chief Minister, you won't leave the NCP." Fadnavis went on to say, "Whether it is Eknath Shinde or I, we do not consider positions important. Whatever position we hold, we give our best to it. When I became Deputy Chief Minister, I immediately wore the Deputy Chief Minister's jacket and started working. Now, when Shinde saheb became the Chief Minister's Deputy, he doesn't wear the jacket, but he wears a white shirt instead." He further added, "He has taken up the role of Deputy Chief Minister seriously. He is managing key portfolios like Urban Development, MSRDC, and Housing, and ensuring the projects are completed swiftly. If you observe, Shinde saheb is often present in the Legislative Assembly and answers questions from the opposition. Sometimes, he even goes to great lengths to silence the opposition," Fadnavis said with a touch of humor.