Fadnavis flies to Assam to attend Himanta’s oath after barring ministers from flying

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who has prohibited his ministers from travelling by aircraft as part of austerity measures, flew by aircraft to Guwahati in Assam to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday.

Ahead of the Assam government’s oath-taking ceremony in Guwahati, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis offered prayers at the Kamakhya Temple, accompanied by his wife Amruta Fadnavis.

Advertisement

Speaking to media persons in Guwahati, Fadnavis said, “The blessings of Maa Kamakhya will remove all obstacles and empower positive forces”.

Expressing confidence in Himanta Biswa Sarma’s leadership, Fadnavis said that Sarma is set to form the government in Assam once again and credited the blessings of goddess Maa Kamakhya for the nation’s progress under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Fadnavis also expressed gratitude to the people of Assam for electing the NDA government for a consecutive third term and expressed his belief that the state will play a pivotal role in the country’s progress in the coming years.

“For the third time, a BJP government is being formed in Assam. I bow down to the people of Assam for the immense faith they have reposed in Prime Minister Modi and our popular Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma,” Fadnavis said

“I am confident that just like Assam has transformed over the last ten years under the Prime Minister’s leadership, these coming five years will witness even greater development for the state. Furthermore, I firmly believe that Assam will play a pivotal role in the overall progress of the nation,” Fadnavis said.

Before he and his wife, Amruta Fadnavis, flew to Guwahati to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday, Fadnavis issued instructions to his ministers that they will no longer be allowed to use aircraft unless they have prior approval from the Chief Minister’s Office, in order to implement PM Modi’s austerity drive.

However, his instructions allowed Fadnavis himself to continue to fly by aircraft.

Speaking to media persons here on Tuesday, senior BJP leader and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, “The Chief Minister has issued instructions that ministers cannot use aircraft without his prior approval. If I have to go somewhere urgently, I use an aircraft. I fly only four or five times a year, whenever I have some urgent work. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is very busy, and so he uses an aircraft quite often. Also, most of my meetings happen online”.

According to instructions by Fadnavis, Minister Nitesh Rane has given similar instructions to the Fisheries Development and Port Department headed by him. Consequently, all meetings of the Fisheries and Port Department will now be held online.

Nitesh Rane also instructed his officials to use electric vehicles instead of petrol and diesel vehicles.

Meanwhile, it is also learnt that the Maharashtra state government has begun to implement an expenditure control policy after taking into account the condition of Maharashtra’s exchequer, which is facing revenue pressure, since funds are required for developmental projects.

Instructions have also been issued to all Maharashtra state government departments to instil discipline regarding government meetings, official tours and travel expenses.

However, the opposition targeted Mumbai BJP President Ameet Satam for allegedly leading a convoy of around 25 vehicles during a pre-monsoon drain inspection tour across Mumbai.

Satam’s inspection tour was criticised by opposition leaders, who questioned the size of the convoy that accompanied him.

Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad alleged that while the Prime Minister had advised citizens to conserve fuel, BJP leaders themselves travel with large convoys.

Tweeting from her X handle, she questioned whether the Prime Minister’s message applied only to ordinary citizens.

Sharad Pawar-led NCP MLA Rohit Pawar also mocked Satam’s 25-vehicle convoy, stating that it appeared to contradict public appeals for austerity and fuel conservation.

After he was criticised by the opposition, Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam strongly denied opposition claims that he travelled with a convoy of 25 vehicles during a drain inspection tour across Mumbai.

Responding to the opposition’s allegations, Satam accused the opposition of deliberately misrepresenting visuals from the inspection tour.

Satam tweeted details of his inspection visit on his X account, stating that he personally reviewed ongoing drain cleaning works in Mumbai’s eastern suburbs to ensure Mumbaikars do not face waterlogging during the monsoon season.

According to Satam, the inspection covered areas including Bhandup East, the API drain near Veer Savarkar Road and the Usha Nagar drain. He said instructions have been issued to civic officials to maintain transparency and complete desilting work before the monsoon arrives.

Several BJP leaders and civic officials accompanied Satam during his pre-monsoon drain inspection visit, including MLA Mihir Kotecha, House Leader Ganesh Khankar and officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) storm water drainage department.

Later, Kotecha stated that the drain inspection drive was aimed at ensuring that citizens do not face the annual problem of flooding as well as waterlogging during heavy rains.