Fadnavis slams Thackeray's 'coward' remark, vows to remain as home minister

Mumbai, April 4 In a sharp rejoinder to Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray's 'fattus' (coward) remark, Bharatiya Janata Party's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis declared that he would not 'quit' as the home minister, here on Tuesday.

Hitting at Thackeray, he called him as "the weakest Chief Minister" who was so scared that though two of his cabinet ministers (Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik) were in jail, he had 'no guts' to seek their resignation.

"Who is he (Thackeray) to demand my resignation? I have not got the post because of him. A person who fought the elections in the name of (PM) Narendra Modi but discarded principles to become the CM has no right to ask for my resignation...," said Fadnavis.

The BJP leader warned that he was handling the home department for five years when he was the CM, and now again as the Deputy Chief Minister, and knew his job very well, hence needed no advice from "CM who worked from home" on how to function.

Fadnavis warned Thackeray to mind his language and said: "I can use even worse words, and when I open my mouth, it will create problems, but I won't do it. I am not going to quit and will continue as the home minister."

The verbal assault came in the wake of a huge row between the Sena (UBT) and the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP alliance government after a woman Sena (UBT) activist was assaulted allegedly by workers of the rival Shiv Sena late on Monday.