States » WestPosted at: Sep 20 2026 5:48PM


Fadnavis takes dig at Rahul Gandhi's campaign style, suggests comedy career

Nagpur, Sep 20 (UNI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday took a jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying that his recent style of political campaigning was more suited to stand-up comedy than active politics.
Reacting to reports that Rahul Gandhi had mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the “Chhatron ki Gunj” programme in Indore on Saturday, Fadnavis remarked that the Congress leader should consider becoming a stand-up comedian.
“The way Rahul Gandhi is indulging in mimicry, I think he should leave politics and take up stand-up comedy,” Fadnavis said.
On a more serious note, the Chief Minister said Congress had suffered politically because of Rahul Gandhi and suggested in sarcastic vein that a career in comedy would at least provide him with employment.
Fadnavis also addressed the controversy surrounding the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on certain Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions, alleging that efforts were being made to create unnecessary apprehension over the issue.
The remarks come amid reports that petrol pump operators in Mumbai may stop accepting UPI payments above Rs 2,000 from October 15 unless the revised MDR framework is withdrawn.
Responding to the demand, Fadnavis said such a move would be unjustified as digital payments have significantly benefited traders and fuel retailers by expanding business opportunities and ensuring transparency in transactions.
He noted that UPI had become widely accepted among consumers and businesses alike, while the charge imposed was only nominal in nature.
The Chief Minister further pointed out that the Parliamentary committee which had recommended the MDR mechanism included former union finance minister P. Chidambaram along with other senior Congress leaders.
Fadnavis said the Centre had already clarified that the fee was applicable only to specific categories of transactions and not universally across all UPI payments.
He urged traders and petrol pump owners to recognise the contribution of digital payments in promoting commerce and curbing corruption, adding that a modest charge to meet operational costs should not be viewed negatively.
UNI PK CDS
Tags: #Fadnavis takes dig at Rahul Gandhi's campaign style# suggests comedy career
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