Page 20 - Devendra Fadnavis

Chhagan Bhujbal demands 80-90 seats for NCP in upcoming Assembly polls

Maharashtra minister and senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Monday demanded that his party be given 80-90 seats to contest in the assembly elections due this year. BJP is the largest party and will contest in more seats, said Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Speaking at a party's meeting here, Bhujbal said, When we joined the alliance (BJP-Shiv Sena), we were assured of getting 80 to 90 seats to contest in the assembly elections. However, for this Lok Sabha polls, we got very few seats to contest. We must tell them (BJP) that we want more seats to contest so that we could win around 50 to 60 seats, he said. Of the 288 seats in the state, BJP had won 105 in 2019 state polls, while the undivided NCP had bagged 54 seats. If we get 50 seats to contest because of the current number of MLAs with the party, how many will actually get elected out of those 50, he wondered. He also expressed displeasure over reports that Manusmriti, an ancient Hindu text, will likely be taught in

Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar urge peace after Beed video suggests caste tensions

A video purportedly containing remarks against a particular community in the backdrop of tension between two caste groups in a village in Beed district has gone viral, prompting leaders of various political parties to appeal for peace. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) and Ajit Pawar (NCP) have appealed for maintaining peace and avoiding such commentary. Beed Superintendent of Police, Nand Kumar Thakur, on Monday, rushed to Mundewadi village in Kej tehsil and held a meeting with villagers. The video clip went viral on Sunday against the backdrop of tensions between members of the Maratha and Vanjari communities. Some villagers in the video clip, which went viral on Sunday, can be heard saying that no 'Maharaj' (religious preacher) from the Maratha community should be invited to the village. Villagers also asked others not to consume liquor from a shop, while a man threatened that those violating this diktat would be penalised. "A meeting was conducted in

Fadnavis, Shah tried to work for Gadkari's defeat in LS polls, says Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Amit Shah and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis worked for Nitin Gadkari's defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. Raut alleged that Fadnavis had unwillingly campaigned for Gadkari, who contested from the Nagpur Lok Sabha seat, when he realised the Union minister couldn't be defeated. Nagpur is the hometown of both BJP leaders. "Modi, Shah and Fadnavis worked for Gadkari's defeat in Nagpur. Fadnavis unwillingly joined the campaign for Gadkari when he realised he couldn't be defeated. The RSS people in Nagpur are openly saying Fadnavis helped the opposition to get Gadkari defeated," he wrote in an article in his party's mouthpiece "Saamna". The Sena (UBT) leader alleged that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had distributed Rs 25-30 crore in every constituency, and his machinery worked to defeat candidates of the NCP led by Ajit Pawar. Taking a potshot at Yogi Adityanath,

Porsche crash: Why bus drivers not told to write essays, asks Rahul Gandhi

The Porsche crash incident in Pune involves a drunk minor, who killed two people with his speeding Porsche in the city's Kalyani Nagar area on pre-dawn Sunday

No pressure on Pune police over car crash probe, says Dy CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday asserted no police negligence has come to light while handling the Pune car crash involving a 17-year-old boy and denied any kind of pressure on cops probing the case. A Porsche car allegedly driven by the 17-year-old, who the police claim was drunk at the time, fatally knocked down two motorbike-borne software engineers in Kalyani Nagar in Pune city in the early hours of Sunday. The teen's father, a builder, and four persons linked to two restaurants where he was served liquor before the fatal crash have been arrested by the police. Amid an outrage over the accident, Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio, made a surprise visit to the Pune Police commissionerate to review the case, and later addressed the media. On demands from residents to advance closing time of pubs from 1.30 am now to 11 pm, Fadnavis said he has asked the police department to submit a report on the issue. Asked about the Porsche car being allowed

Only PM Modi can ensure strong Bharat; Oppn lacks coordination: Fadnavis

Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be elected for a third term for a strong and prosperous Bharat, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday as he targeted the opposition over the alleged lack of coordination with the analogy of a train. Addressing a poll rally, the senior BJP leader said the people have only two choices in this election- either to elect Modi for development or the alliance led by Rahul Gandhi. "Modiji is the power engine of our Mahayuti alliance. There is ample space for people to board this 'Vikas ki train' of Modiji with coaches of Shiv Sena, NCP, RPI and others. Other alliance doesn't have any coaches and all (constituents) claim themselves to be engines but they lack coordination," he said. He said it is up to the people to elect the right government and give a third term to Modi for a strong and prosperous Bharat. The Bhandara-Gondiya constituency goes to poll in the first phase on April 19. The BJP has fielded sitting MP Sunil Men

Situation in Vidarbha favourable, PM's meet will ensure big win: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said the situation in Vidarbha is favourable for Mahayuti and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public meeting later in the day will turn this favorability into a big win for the alliance. Talking to reporters here, Fadnavis said that the seat-sharing talks about a few seats were remaining now, and these constituencies will go to polls in the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra. There is a lot of enthusiasm in Vidarbha ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public meeting in Chandrapur, he said. "The situation in Vidarbha is favourable for Mahayuti and the BJP. But with Modiji's meeting, this favourability will increase and result in a big win," Fadnavis said. The Mahayuti' (grand alliance) comprises the ruling BJP, Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and the Ajit Pawar-headed Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray met Union Home Mini

Fadnavis never opposed Eknath Khadse, claims BJP leader Bawankule

Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Sunday said state Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis never opposed veteran leader Eknath Khadse, who is set to return to the saffron party. More than three years after he ended his 40-year-old association with the BJP following differences with state leadership and crossed over to the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (undivided), Khadse on Saturday said he will join his parent party next week in New Delhi. Khadse had to resign in 2016 as a minister of the erstwhile Devendra Fadnavis cabinet owing to a land deal case. Once one of the tallest leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra, Khadse was relegated to the political wilderness for almost five years before Sharad Pawar rehabilitated him in NCP (undivided) in 2020. Notably, Khadse had blamed Fadnavis and his confidant Girish Mahajan for harming his political career. Talking to mediapersons in Pune, Bawankule said, "There is a central as well as state committee of ou

BJP wasn't formed to make anyone PM or CM, hence never split: Fadnavis

The Bharatiya Janata Party was not established to make anyone the prime minister or the chief minister and hence never faced an internal division, said Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday. The senior BJP claimed that theirs is the only national party in the country's history that has not experienced a split. Addressing his party workers during an event here to mark the 44th foundation day of the BJP, Fadnavis asked the cadres to work as the soldiers of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make India a developed country. From leaders like Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi to PM Modi, all have worked to grow the party, he said. BJP leaders were never self-centred or selfish, Fadnavis said. This party was never made for making anyone the prime minister or chief minister or any other post but was established to create an ideology that will serve the nation's interests. This party always

Veteran Cong leader Shivraj Patil's daughter-in-law joins BJP in Maha

Chakurkar had met Fadnavis at his official residence 'Sagar' in south Mumbai on Friday

Mumbai gets its first coastal road, to open for people on Tuesday

Currently the 10.5 km long road will be open for traffic only on weekdays from 8 am to 8 pm

Maharashtra CM Shinde inaugurates first phase of Mumbai coastal road

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday inaugurated the first phase of the coastal road between Worli and Marine Drive in south Mumbai and said it is an "engineering marvel". A 10.5-kilometer-long stretch will be opened for traffic in the first phase, an official earlier said, adding that motorists can enter the coastal road from Worli Seaface, Haji Ali interchange and Amarson's interchange points, and exit at Marine Lines. Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar and other dignitaries were present at the inauguration of the south-bound corridor of the coastal road. After the inauguration, CM Shinde and other dignitaries showed green flags to the electric buses of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) ferrying women and a vintage car rally on the coastal road. The work on the ambitious project started on October 13, 2018 and its projected cost is Rs 12,721 crore. A world-class Central Park spread over several acres will come up along the road, named .

Highlights of the day: Naidu-Pawan Kalyan seal alliance with BJP

From govt's decision to cut LPG cylinder prices to Rahul Gandhi's poll promises, catch all the latest news from around the world here

BJP leader Harshvardhan Patil writes to Fadnavis citing threats from allies

Maharashtra BJP leader Harshvardhan Patil has written a letter to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, accusing some functionaries of "ally partners" in his home turf Indapur tehsil of Pune district of using foul language against him and threatening not to allow him to move freely in his former Assembly constituency. Patil is a former MLA from Indapur who was defeated by undivided NCP's candidate Datta Bharne in the 2019 state elections. Post-split in the Sharad Pawar-founded outfit, Bharne is now with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar-led NCP, which is an ally of the BJP in the Shiv Sena-led ruling coalition in the state, 'Mahayuti'. "The Maha alliance (Mahayuti) government in Maharashtra is working properly under your guidance. However, I am being targeted in my own tehsil (Indapur) by functionaries of ally partners, who are making baseless remarks and using foul language against me in political congregations," claimed the former state minister in the letter posted on ...

Water availability in state's dams at 44%, down from 61% in 2023: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said water availability in dams in the state is just 44 per cent as compared to 61 per cent last year. Speaking in the Legislative Council, Fadnavis said the condition in drought-prone Marathwada region was a matter of concern in view of the approaching summer. "The condition in Marathwada division is a matter of concern. Last year, (this time around) Marathwada had 47 per cent water in its dams. This year the storage is just 24 per cent. The region needs special prioritisation (with regards to water management)," the deputy CM said. Nagpur division has 54 per cent water storage as against 55 per cent last year, while Amravati has 66 per cent, up from 57 per cent, which will suffice in summers, he added. "Last time around the water storage in dams was 61 per cent, but this year it is 44 per cent. It is necessary to effectively manage water. Water will be first prioritised for drinking, then agriculture, followed by ...

CM Shinde should not listen to Fadnavis: Maratha quota activist Jarange

Quota activist Manoj Jarange has said Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde should not listen to Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and spell out why the notification on 'blood relatives' of Kunbi Marathas was not being implemented. Jarange made the remarks late Sunday night after CM Shinde said the activist must not test the patience of his government. Speaking in Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district earlier on Sunday, Jarange alleged Fadnavis was trying to kill him. He also announced that he would march to Mumbai and protest outside the residence of the deputy CM. Jarange had also claimed that a poisoning attempt was made against him through saline, though he did not elaborate on it. He was speaking to reporters on the eve of the budget session of the Maharashtra legislature. Jarange later left from Antarwali Sarati and stopped at Bhamberi village in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar while on way to Mumbai. The Maharashtra legislature during a one-day special session last Tuesday ...

Activist Jarange accuses Fadnavis of sabotaging Maratha quota protests

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday alleged that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was conspiring to sabotage protests staged by the community for reservation in government jobs and education. Addressing a gathering at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, Jarange claimed that Fadnavis was trying to defame him by roping in people to malign his image. When the lathi-charge happened during protests in Jalna last year, Fadnavis had to apologise. This hurt him deeply, so he is trying to sabotage the Maratha quota protest, the activist said. He claimed that the state government was run by Fadnavis, not Chief Minister Eknath Shinde or Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. The activist alleged that Fadnavis was trying to threaten the Marathas in the state, and the move would backfire on him. He further said, Unfortunately, some Maratha leaders in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were helping Fadnavis defame me. Jarange warned that he would begin a protest

Need to take action if drug haul probe throws up int'l links: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday hailed the Pune Police for busting the "country's biggest" drug racket and said action needs to be taken if foreign links come to light. Police seized 1,700 kilograms of mephedrone worth Rs 3000-3500 crore from Pune, Delhi, Sangli and other cities and arrested eight persons so far. Fadnavis, who heads the state Home Department, declared a Rs 25 lakh reward for investigating officers who blew the lid off the racket. "Police will dig out all links of the drugs trade ring. We need to investigate this racket even in other states," he said. At an event held at the Pune Police Commissioner's Office, Fadnavis felicitated the officers. "I would like to congratulate Pune Police for busting the drugs racket. I think this is the country's biggest action. For the past few months, we have been running a 'drugs-free Maharashtra' campaign. If this drug racket has links in foreign countries we need to take action. I declare an award

Maha to roll out policy to boost defence manufacturing: Devendra Fadnavis

A new aerospace and defence policy will be formulated to provide a boost to defence manufacturing in Maharashtra, deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Saturday. Speaking at the inauguration of 'MSME Defence Expo', a three-day event organized at Moshi in Pimpri Chinchwad near here, he said Pune has developed an ecosystem conducive for defence manufacturing in recent years. "Maharashtra is leading the country in defence manufacturing. We host the Air Force Maintenance Command, Army Southern Command, the Indian Navy Dockyard, Hindustan Aeronautics facility, Mazgaon Dockyard, National Defence Academy, and several DRDO laboratories," he said. BDL's missile production facility is coming up near Amravati, the deputy CM noted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi "recognized the country's real prowess", he said, adding that earlier India was dependent on other countries for defence equipment. "Today, countries like US, Russia, France and Germany are powerful because their defence ...

Pernod Ricard India to invest Rs 1,800 crore to set up malt distillery

The distillery, one of the biggest in India, will have a capacity of up to 60,0000 litres per day and 13 million litres annually