BJP will emerge single-largest party after Assembly polls in Maharashtra: Fadnavis

Pune: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday exhorted the BJP leaders and cadres to work with the sole target of re-election of the MahaYuti government in Maharashtra like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who pursued his goal to achieve 'Hindvi Swarajya' and also like Arjuna's unwavering focus on fish's eye.

Addressing the party's state convention in Pune, he also asked the party leaders, office-bearers and workers to give a befitting reply to the opposition's charges without waiting for any directive every time.

He instructed the members to refrain from speculating about the next Chief Minister.

He also asked them to effectively counter the Opposition's allegations without waiting for instructions from the party.

However, Fadnavis insisted that the party should come together to face the Assembly election and avoid "negative talks".

"BJP alone has won 1.50 crore votes in the past, and during the Assembly election, it will win 1.75 crore votes," he claimed.

He strongly defended the party's decision to form the government with Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, a true follower of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's thoughts, and later allying with Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

"The questions were raised about how to cohabit with NCP when BJP had conflict with it in the past. However, when the target is fixed, we have to go two steps forward, and two steps backwards and make a pact. BJP brought the MahaYuti government to power so that Maharashtra can remain with Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has transformed the country and is working hard to bring more changes for the development," he said.

The leader criticised the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), accusing it of halting all development and welfare schemes initiated by the MahaYuti government.

He claimed that efforts are being made by the MVA activists to derail the much-ambitious 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana' but declared that the government is committed to its implementation to honour the women.

He claimed that MVA's victory in the general elections was due to spreading fake narratives about change in the Constitution and an end to reservation.

On the ongoing protests for Maratha and OBC reservations, Fadnavis said he would not comment on the fresh agitation launched by pro-Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil.

However, he dared the MVA to declare whether it would provide the reservation to the Maratha community by reducing the existing quota of the OBC community.