Fadnavis: Voters haven’t rejected Ajit dada, MP Mohol and MLA Landge gave him fitting reply

When he was asked whether Pune MP Mohol and party MLA Landge had complained to him regarding the way Ajit Pawar was targeting them during the campaigning phase, Fadnavis said, “Our two leaders are so capable that they don’t have to make any such complaint to anyone. They gave a fitting reply and they have proved it.”

In Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, the BJP gave a huge drubbing to NCP and its alliance partner NCP (SP). Mohol led the BJP’s campaign in Pune city while Landge was BJP’s face in Pimpri-Chinchwad. In both cities, Ajit Pawar targeted the BJP’s rule and its local leaders over derailed development and alleged irregularities. He especially targeted Landge whom he accused of massive corruption and loot. He was also unsparing of Mohol.

To a query on who would be “dada” of Pune, Fadnavis said the people of Pune are the dada, and we are their sevaks.

The BJP won 119 out of 165 seats in the Pune civic body, relegating the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, which won 27 seats, to the distant position.
The NCP (SP) managed just three seats, while the Congress secured 15.

In Pimpri Chinchwad, the BJP got a clear majority with 84 seats in the 128-member general body.

“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 merely thanking them; I am indebted to them. While we are happy with this mandate, it also reminds us of our responsibility towards these cities,” said Fadnavis.

The Chief Minister said that people have expressed faith in the BJP’s vision of development and governance, as well as in PM Modi’s leadership. “BJP has emerged as the number one party. Our alliance partners have also done well. Maharashtra had fully decided that it will be with those who are with Modiji. It was BJP and its alliance partners. The people of Maharashtra have inflicted big defeat on the opposition… They have shown that in Maharashtra the agenda of development would shine.”

“We will have to work even harder to live up to the trust that people have placed in us. I will ensure that the vision we presented before the people is translated into reality immediately after the mayor is elected,” he said.

When asked about the discontent among BJP workers after the party roped in leaders from other parties, Fadnavis said, “Those whom we have taken in our party are not more than 10 per cent. 90 per cent of our party workers have been given party ticket. The experiments we did in Pune have yielded results. We have been able to win wards which we had never won after roped in some leaders.”

As to whether the Opposition will exist or not, Fadnavis, ” I think the question should be asked to the opposition whether it will work for the people, are they ready to work as opposition… I have also worked in the opposition. In 2019, though we had emerged as the single largest party, we had to remain in the opposition for two and half years. I did my best as the opposition leader. When you remain in the opposition, you remain among the people. By sitting at home, you can’t work for the people.”

Fadnavis said the poll outcome has put an end to myriad speculation and narratives surrounding the polls in Pune and PCMC. He said the results were beyond expectations of many people, without elaborating on it.

Ajit Pawar didn’t attend the cabinet meeting held in Mumbai earlier on Saturday. “I had met Ajit Pawar on voting day (January 15) when he told me that he would not be attending the cabinet meeting,” the chief 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 will benefit. I had predicted that MNS will be the biggest loser… The alliance has not benefitted the MNS, but Uddhavji has benefitted.”