Amit Shah's photo missing from BJP banners in victory procession in Nagpur for Devendra Fadnavis

Nagpur: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday slammed the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, saying it had no connect with common citizens as he arrived in his hometown Nagpur on his first visit after assuming charge of his new office and was accorded a grand welcome by BJP workers.

However, what caught everyone's attention was the absence of Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah's photo from the banners and hoardings up by party workers to welcome Fadnavis, who took over as Deputy CM in the Eknath Shinde-led government on June 30.

On his first visit to his hometown after the formation of the new government, BJP workers accorded a grand welcome to Fadnavis, a former chief minister.

From the city airport, the BJP leader embarked on a 'jallosh yatra' (victory procession) organised by his supporters.

The hoardings and banners put up on the yatra route had photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president JP Nadda, Nagpur MP and Union minister Nitin Gadkari and some other leaders, but the picture of Shah was missing from them, raising eyebrows.

Asked why Shah's photo was missing from the hoardings and banners, Nagpur BJP spokesperson Chandan Goswami sought to downplay the issue, saying the party has huge respect for the Union Home Minister.

"The posters and hoardings were put up by party workers as per protocol. There were many posters featuring Amit Shah ji 's photo, too," he said.

Fadnavis, addressing a gathering during the yatra, praised Shah, a former party president, and said his blessings were always with BJP workers and leaders.

"We could do what we did today", due to Shah's blessings, said the MLA from Nagpur (South West), apparently referring to the BJP's participation in the Shinde-led government which was formed following the collapse of the Shiv Sena-headed Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) dispensation late last month.

Fadnavis thanked PM Modi and Nadda for giving him respect and making him the Deputy CM.

The BJP leader said he obeyed the party's command and agreed to become No. 2 in the newly-formed Shinde cabinet.

Fadnavis had initially said he will not be a part of the Shinde government, but later changed his stand following an intervention by the BJP's central leadership and took oath as the Deputy CM.

He said without the BJP and PM Modi he could not become the Chief Minister of the state in 2014.

Lashing out at the erstwhile three-party MVA regime, Fadnavis said it had no connect with common citizens and suffered from governance deficit.

The BJP leader said his party will come to power with full majority in the next state elections.