On Wednesday, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut mocked the visit of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos by calling it a “picnic” and wondering about the importance of the global summit to the Indian states.

Raut, while talking to the media, stated that the chief ministers from all over India go to Davos every year at the cost of the public, although the deals with the Indian companies could easily be finished in the country. “From an Indian perspective, the Davos conference is ridiculous. Indian industries go there and sign deals using taxpayers’ money. This could have been done sitting in Mumbai,” he said, while adding that he would welcome the investments if the figures being projected were accurate.

Raut also pointed out that foreign trips were being considered as an excuse to give local politicians’ domestic priorities, such as local elections, less importance. Currently, Devendra Fadnavis is in Switzerland to participate in the annual meeting of the WEF.

The comments received an angry reaction from the Chief Minister’s wife, Amruta Fadnavis, who claimed that the criticism was totally ungrounded. During the event in Mumbai, she pointed out that the Davos visit was not just about talking but intensive engagement aimed at attracting investment and creating jobs.

“Just a person on a picnic does not have meetings and conferences every day from 6 am to 11 pm and brings investment to India and Maharashtra and creates more employment,” she told the media and branded Raut’s statements as groundless.

Amruta Fadnavis also praised the importance of the Davos summit, calling it a very important global stage where the world leaders and investors are opening up the conversation and looking for creating business opportunities. “Such participation is the duty of all India state heads,” she stressed further.

The recent developments in Maharashtra politics have given Devendra Fadnavis a lot of credit for making the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance stronger, with the BJP coming up as the single largest party in the 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation after securing 89 seats.