You tried best to finish me politically, yet failed

Accusing Uddhav Thackeray of "stabbing the BJP in the back" by joining Congress and NCP, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed on Thursday that the former chief minister had tried his best to finish him politically but failed.

Fadnavis was reacting to Thackeray speech on Wednesday, in which he had attacked the Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra and for not speaking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the multi-billion Vedanta-Foxconn semiconductor plant deal went to Gujarat.

Speaking to ANI, Fadnavis, however, said that Uddhav Thackeray's speech was "filled with despair".

"You tried your best to eliminate me with the help of Congress-NCP combine, yet you could not finish me," Fadnavis said launching a sharp attack at his erstwhile ally Thackeray.

"In Wednesday's speech, Uddhav Thackeray Ji was speaking in despair. I have a question for him. When he asks us to resign and go for elections, why did he not resign and go for election in 2019, when he had contested with the BJP and won because of Modiji's picture on the poster, stabbing the BJP in the back," Fadnavis said.

Earlier, former chief minister Thackeray had also made a scathing attack at the Shinde government. "Why do Maharashtra projects go to other states? Why doesn't he speak to the PM about this? Doesn't he have the courage to speak on it?" Thackeray had said.

Thackeray, who was addressing party workers, said that the Maharashtra government should bring back the Foxconn-Vedanta semiconductor project rather than hurling allegations adding that both ruling and Opposition should come together for the larger interest of the state and bring back the project.

Thackeray also launched a scathing attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for not speaking on the issue. Thackeray had also challenged Home Minister Amit Shah to conduct Mumbai civic polls and assembly elections within a month.

"I challenge Union HM Amit Shah to hold BMC election along with state assembly elections, we will show Shiv Sena's strength. Earlier too many Nizams and Shahs tried to capture Mumbai but failed in their nefarious attempt," he had said.

However, Shinde hit back at Thackeray saying that the Vedanta will come to Maharashtra. "Our government is two months old and we have taken decisions that were not taken in two years. Vedanta will come to Maharashtra. I have spoken with PM Modi and HM Amit Shah and have been assured. A lot of industries went out of the state because of the previous government," said Maharashtra Chief Minister.

Earlier, Vedanta group chairman Anil Agarwal had announced that the Vedanta-Foxconn semiconductor plant will be set up in Gujarat. Vedanta's landmark investment of Rs 1.54 lakh crores will help make India's #Atmanirbhar Silicon Valley a reality, Agarwal said.

This project, which is expected to reduce India's electronic imports besides providing 1 lakh direct skilled jobs, will help the country's manufacturing sector, he said in another tweet.