Delhi is still far away, will continue as Maharashtra CM till 2029: Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said he will continue in the present post till 2029, and the composition of the ruling coalition will remain unchanged.

"As far as I know my party....Delhi is still far away. I will continue as Maharashtra CM till 2029," Fadnavis said, when asked about his role in national politics.

He was speaking at an interaction with mediapersons on the occasion of Diwali at his official residence, 'Varsha', in Mumbai.

Fadnavis made it clear that there will be no change in the present ruling dispensation, which comprises the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP. "There will be no new partners or swapping of partners," he added.

The senior BJP leader also hit out at the Opposition for alleging discrepancies in the state electoral rolls ahead of the local body polls, which are to be completed by January 31, 2026.

Fadnavis, the first non-Congress CM to complete the five-year tenure in 2019, returned to the top post after the assembly polls last year and to the chief minister's official bungalow earlier this year.

The CM said he doesn't hold any bitterness towards political rivals.

"Given the political stability after the 2024 assembly polls, I am confident cordiality will return (among leaders). Earlier, due to the political instability after the 2019 assembly elections, there was an enmity-like situation among political leaders. I have cordial relations with 99 per cent of political leaders," Fadnavis said.

On the speculation about MNS head Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray coming together for the local body polls, Fadnavis said, "If Raj Thackeray says I brought the two brothers close on the issue of Marathi, I take it as a compliment." "Earlier, I was criticised for breaking parties. No third person can break a political party. Only ambitions and injustice can break parties," the CM said, adding he hopes the Thackeray cousins stay together even after the local body polls.

He, however, asserted that the "Thackeray brand" means only Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray, and no one else.

To a question on allegations that he facilitated the alliance between Raj and Uddhav Thackeray to unsettle Eknath Shinde, Fadnavis said, "Just like I have a relationship with Raj, Shinde also enjoys the same kind of relations." Fadnavis, who is among the BJP's star campaigners for the next month's Bihar assembly polls, said the situation looks good for the ruling NDA in that state.

There is no anti-incumbency against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, he said.

Asked about the Maharashtra cabinet reshuffle, he said no minister was inefficient. "We will complete a year soon and a performance audit will be done," he said.

Fadnavis also said the ruling Mahayuti will make politically wise alliances for the local body elections.

In the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, the ruling partners will go for pre-poll alliances, while at other places, there can be post-poll tie-ups, he said.

Fadnavis slammed the Opposition for objecting to the electoral rolls "to create a perception" for the local body polls.

They haven't given objections and suggestions on the voters' list. They also oppose a complete revision of the voters' list, he pointed out.

The opposition wants to get the local body polls postponed, but they don't have a solid reason. They don't speak about the voters' list in the Bihar campaign now, the BJP leader said.

"They feel the local body polls can be problematic for them," he said.

Fadnavis said the BJP will soon make an exposé on how the existing electoral rolls have helped the Opposition.

Asked about the sustainability of infrastructure projects in Mumbai, he said the new infrastructure will last for 100 years, and there are no structural problems with it.