Nagpur: Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday (December 2) denied Uttara Kannada's BJP MP Anant Kumar Hegde's claim that he was made the chief minister despite not having a majority to prevent central funds worth Rs 40,000 crore from being "misused".

"I have not heard what Anant Kumar Hegde has said, but from what I have heard from media that Maharashtra government gave Rs 40,000 crore to the Central government, it is completely false. I deny this. Nothing like this happened," Fadnavis told media.

Fadnavis further stated that in the bullet train project, the role of the Maharashtra government is limited to land acquisition.

"Whether it is bullet train or something else, neither Central government asked for money from Maharashtra government and neither the state government gave the money," Fadnavis said.

"This statement is completely false. I have not taken any such decision. The Finance department should investigate and bring the truth in front of the people," he added.

Earlier, Hegde had claimed that Fadnavis was made Maharashtra chief minister to prevent Central funds worth Rs 40,000 crore, from being "misused" by the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress.

"You all know our man (Devendra Fadnavis) in Maharashtra became chief minister for 80 hours. Then, Fadnavis resigned. Why did he do this drama? Didn't we know that we don't have the majority and yet he became chief minister? This is the question everyone is asking," Hegde had said in Uttara Kannada.