National politics priority, Fadnavis, Patil to lead Maharashtra: Vinod Tawde

Days after his elevation as BJP National General Secretary, senior leader Vinod Tawde on Wednesday said he would focus his energies on carrying out party work across the country, leaving Maharashtra politics to former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and state unit chief Chandrakant Patil.

Since Tawde's elevation in the last week, political circles have been abuzz of BJP promoting him as an alternative to Fadnavis in Maharashtra.

"As National General Secretary, I will be working closely with the national leadership. I have been in charge of Haryana and expect responsibility of more states," Tawde, a former Maharashtra Minister, told reporters here.

Tawde has been inducted as National General Secretary as the successor to Bhupendra Singh Yadav, who was appointed as the Environment and Labour Minister in the Modi government.

"Devendra Fadnavis and Chandrakant Patil will drive the BJP initiatives in Maharashtra. I will contribute my bit whenever asked to do so by them," Tawde said.

The elevation of Tawde, former Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, was seen as a course correction by the BJP to keep the influence of Fadnavis in check.

Seen as a rival to Fadnavis, Tawde and former minister Pankaja Munde were appointed National Secretaries after the BJP failed to form the government in the state in 2019.

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