Nagpur: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said the Mahayuti alliance’s unprecedented success in the state assembly polls was a fitting tribute to former prime minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birth centenary.
Speaking during an event in the city, where he was publicly felicitated at the hands of Union minister Nitin Gadkari, Fadnavis also said that power has not gone to his head as he knows that he was nothing without the BJP.
In the November 20 assembly polls, the ruling Mahayuti retained power in the state with the BJP winning 132 seats, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena 57 and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of Ajit Pawar 41 seats.
“The strength and perseverance of BJP workers led to this success,” Fadnavis said, reflecting on his political journey which began with his involvement in the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in his school days. “Power has never gone to my head. I knew from the beginning that without BJP, I hold no meaning… BJP and its workers mean everything to me,” he added.
According to PTI, Fadnavis also commented on the challenges faced after the Lok Sabha elections, noting that despite setbacks, the dedication of party workers ensured victory. He highlighted that the slogan ‘Ek hain to safe hain (united we are safe)’ helped unite the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and women, ultimately securing a substantial mandate.
Gadkari, who also spoke at the event, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sab ka saath, sabka vikas (together for everyone’s development),’ calling it the true essence of secularism. Gadkari further recalled Vajpayee’s view that India’s secularism was founded on the inclusiveness, legacy, and patience of its Hindu community. He pointed to historical figures such as Rana Pratap and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who never demolished mosques to build temples.
