Pune: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, speaking in Pune about the upcoming Municipal Corporation Elections in Maharashtra, said that he and his Deputy CM Ajit Pawar can't fight together in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Announcing that to prevent a third party from gaining an advantage in both civic bodies, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will have a friendly contest in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.
Dinesh Waghmare, Maharashtra State Election Commissioner, on Monday announced that the long-pending elections of the 29 civic bodies across the state, including Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), will be held on 15th January, and the counting of votes will be held on 16th January.
Fadnavis, who was on a Pune tour on Monday, spoke shortly to the media after the announcement was made. Speaking to the reporters, Fadnavis said, “Ajit Pawar and I cannot contest the elections together in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Both of us understand politics well enough to know that if we contest together, it benefits a third party, and we do not want to allow that to happen. We will contest against each other, but it will be a friendly fight.”
Asserting BJP’s dominance in the upcoming civic polls, CM Fadnavis said, “BJP has done good work in Pune in five years. The public trusts us, and that's why they will give us a chance again. But I spoke to Ajit Pawar, and he and I think we should be friendly and contest each other. In most places, there will be a BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in place, though.”
‘Thackeray Reunion Won't Matter; Prithviraj Chavan Shouldn't Worry’
When asked if the Mahayuti would suffer if Uddhav and Raj Thackeray came together, Fadnavis said it won't matter much. He said, "This is the case in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election. No damage will be done. Whether both Thackerays come together or not, we will not suffer any damage.”
He further said, “Even if both Thackerays come together and the Congress also joins them, the Mumbaikars will still elect our Mahayuti, which comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena. This is because the common Mumbaikar has seen our administration, the development work we have carried out, and the interests of the Marathi people that we have nurtured. Therefore, the Mumbaikars will remain with us."
Meanwhile, on Saturday, former CM Prithviraj Chavan, speaking at an event in Pimpri-Chinchwad, had said a Marathi man might become a prime minister soon. He had cited that the release of the Epstein Files in the United States of America (USA) might result in political chaos in India, and a Marathi man would become the PM.
Replying to this theory, CM Fadnavis replied, “Until now, various people were having divine revelations, having dreams, and making predictions. We have seen all of this. However, when a senior leader like Prithviraj Chavan, who has served as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, also starts having such episodes, then I think there must definitely be something suspicious going on.”
CM Fadnavis added, “Prithviraj Chavan is a very good leader. We wish him well for his good health. But I advise him not to worry too much or put too much strain on himself by thinking in this manner.”
Fadnavis Attends Pune Book Festival
CM Fadnavis on Monday visited Kolhapur, Sangli and then Pune. He came to Pune in the afternoon at around 3 PM. He first inaugurated multiple projects and conducted bhumi pujan at projects of PMC and Maha Metro. Then, afterwards, he visited the late Girishbhau Bapat Pet Scan and Radio Diagnostic Centre.
CM Fadnavis was accompanied by Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol, Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Chandrakant Patil and other local leaders when he visited Fergusson College to visit the ongoing Pune Book Festival 2025. Fadnavis had his times with all the ranges of books before he left Pune in the evening.
