A day after Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar revealed his chief ministerial ambitions, Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis took a swipe at him saying not everyone can become a chief minister.
"I have not seen Ajit Pawar's interview. There is nothing wrong with anyone aspiring to be a Chief Minister, many like it but not everyone can. We wish him all the best," Fadnavis said.
Targeting the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, Fadnavis further said: "I don't know what is going on within the Maha Vikas Aghadi. I have repeatedly said that they are calling Vajra Muth but that Muth has many cracks, it can never be Vajra Muth."
On Friday, during a free-wheeling interview to a media group, Pawar had said that he will "100 per cent" like to be the chief minister of Maharashtra.
Asked whether the NCP will stake a claim for the chief minister's post next year when Assembly polls are due in Maharashtra, he remarked, "Why 2024, we are ready to stake a claim for the CM position now also."
Pawar also revealed his colleague late R.R. Patil would have become Chief Minister in 2004 when the NCP had won more Assembly seats than its ally Congress, but a message came from Delhi that his party will get the deputy CM's post.
"We got 71 seats, while the Congress won 69. Everyone, including the Congress, thought CM would be from the NCP. However, some decisions were taken at the highest level and a message came from Delhi that the NCP will get the deputy chief minister position and the CM post went to Congress," he said.