Fadnavis wants all the power in the two pockets of his suit

HARSHVARDHAN SAPKAL has his roots in the Sarvodaya philosophy.

- DNYANESH JATHAR

When he took over as president of the Congress in Maharashtra, he told the party high command that he did not want any other post during the tenure, as he wanted to focus on making the party organisation robust. In an interview with THE WEEK, Sapkal talks about the law and order situation in the state and why the ruling coalition is just a marriage of convenience. Excerpts:

Q/ After taking charge as Congress state president you took various reviews. What are the findings?

A/ The state Congress unit has huge potential. The space that the Congress occupies in the state is intact. In fact, it has grown. Despite getting a thumping majority, people are not attending the programmes of the BJP chief minister or his deputies; there is no crowd behind them. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis does not enjoy the popularity that the BJP is claiming he has. In fact, people are talking against him. Why is this so? Has there been any [election] manipulation?

In just six months after the Lok Sabha elections, the number of voters increased by 75 lakh for the assembly elections. Interestingly, these 75 lakh votes are the victory margin of the Mahayuti. When we asked the Election Commission about this, their representatives did not give an answer. Instead Union home minister and the Maharashtra Chief Minister are giving replies.

Farmers are angry because their produce is not getting good prices; law and order is a shambles; criminal activity has gone up and all the criminal connections are reaching to the rulers. Is the government backing them?

Q/ What do you think about the law and order in the state?