A day after the BJP’s spectacular performance in the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal elections, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said voters have not rejected Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar but that Pune BJP MP Murlidhar Mohol and Bhosari party MLA Mahesh Landge, whom he had attacked during the election campaign, had given him a “befitting reply”.
“I will not say that people have rejected dad, rather they have accepted the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the BJP and us,” Fadnavis said when asked if the people of Pune They have rejected Ajit Pawar, in the city on Sunday. Party workers and leaders address Ajit Pawar as Ajit dada.
When asked if Pune MP Mohol and party MLA Landge had complained to him about the way Ajit Pawar was attacking them during the campaign phase, Fadnavis said, “Our two leaders are so capable that they don’t have to lodge any complaint with anyone. They gave a befitting reply and have proven it.”
In Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, the BJP gave a huge beating to the NCP and its alliance partner NCP (SP). Mohol led the BJP’s campaign in Pune city, while Landge was the face of the BJP in Pimpri-Chinchwad. In both cities, Ajit Pawar attacked the BJP government and its local leaders for derailing development and alleged irregularities. He especially focused on Landge, whom he accused of massive corruption and looting. He was also ruthless with Mohol.
When asked who would be the “daddy” of Pune, Fadnavis said that the people of Pune are the dada and we are their sevaks.
The BJP won 119 of 165 seats in the Pune civic body, relegating the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, which won 27 seats, to a distant position.
The PCN (SP) won only three seats, while the Congress won 15.
In Pimpri Chinchwad, the BJP won a clear majority with 84 seats in the 128-member general body.
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“I thank the voters of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad for reposing their faith in the BJP and giving us a landslide victory. I am not just grateful to them, I am indebted to them. While we are happy with this mandate, it also reminds us of our responsibility towards these cities,” Fadnavis said.
The Chief Minister said that people have expressed faith in the BJP’s vision of development and governance as well as the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. “The BJP has emerged as the number one party. Our alliance partners have also done well. Maharashtra had fully decided that it would stand with those who are with Modiji. It was the BJP and its alliance partners. The people of Maharashtra have suffered a big defeat from the opposition… They have shown that in Maharashtra the development agenda would shine.”
“We will have to work even harder to live up to the trust that the people have placed in us. I will ensure that the vision we present to the people is translated into reality immediately after the mayor’s election,” he said.
Asked about discontent among BJP workers after the party hired leaders from other parties, Fadnavis said, “Those we have accepted in our party are not more than 10 per cent. 90 per cent of our party workers have been given party tickets. The experiments we did in Pune have given results. We have been able to win constituencies that we had never won after cornering some leaders.”
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On whether the opposition will exist or not, Fadnavis, “I think the opposition should be asked if it will work for the people, if they are ready to work as an opposition… I too worked in the opposition. In 2019, although we emerged as the largest party, we had to stay in the opposition for two and a half years. I did my best as an opposition leader. When you stay in the opposition, you stay among the people. If you stay at home, you cannot work for the people.”
Fadnavis said the survey result put an end to countless speculations and narratives surrounding the polls in Pune and PCMC. He said the results exceeded many people’s expectations, without giving further details.
Ajit Pawar did not attend the cabinet meeting held in Bombay earlier on Saturday. “I met Ajit Pawar on polling day (January 15) when he told me that he would not attend the cabinet meeting,” the prime minister added.
When asked about the Mumbai civic body polls, Fadnavis said, “In the Shiv Sena-(UBT)-MNS alliance, I had predicted that Uddhav Sena would benefit. I had predicted that MNS would be the biggest loser… The alliance has not benefited MNS, but Uddhavji has benefited.”