'Vote Jihad' Against BJP Won’t Work In Maharashtra Polls: Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday (27 October) that 'vote jihad' and fake narratives will not work in the upcoming state election.

He also expressed confidence that the Mahayuti alliance would secure victory in Maharashtra Assembly elections, set for 20 November.

He dismissed "vote jihad" and alleged fake narratives as ineffective.

"Vote jihad was the real (factor) in Lok Sabha election. People from a particular community voted against the BJP. The aim was to remove Modi. It will not work this time," Fadnavis said.

The BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP (Ajit Pawar) alliance won just 17 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi of Congress, Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar) won 30 seats.

Fadnavis said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi had spread a "fake narrative" that BJP will change the Constitution and end during the Lok Sabha elections.

"During the Lok Sabha election, Maha Vikas Aghadi created a fake narrative. We have countered it with a straight narrative. Now people know they lied. They said (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji would come and change the Constitution and end reservation. So, people voted for Rahul Gandhi and MVA. And Rahul Gandhi went abroad and said the need for reservation is declining and they will end it. Their lies have died and our truth is out. So we will be elected," he said, NDTV reported.

The BJP leader was referring to Gandhi's remark during his recent visit to the US during which he said, "We will think of scrapping reservations when India is a fair place and India is not a fair place."

Gandhi's remarks had created a massive controversy, with the BJP slamming the Congress leader and saying it would not allow reservations to be scrapped.

On the Dalit vote factor in Maharashtra polls, Fadnavis said, "Dalit voter is important. But, in a large state like Maharashtra, no single community can decide the election. The Dalit voter had gone away from us due to fake narratives in the Lok Sabha election, but they have returned."

Fadnavis criticised the Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders, describing them as obstructionists more interested in halting development projects rather than supporting growth.

He listed stalled projects like the bullet train, metro, and Atal Setu as examples, contrasting this with the Mahayuti’s focus on "finishing work and progress."

Commenting on media priorities, Fadnavis expressed disappointment, suggesting that some media outlets focus more on political rivalries than reporting on development efforts undertaken by the state.

On the Eknath Shinde government's development agenda, Fadnavis said a river-linking project aimed at making Maharashtra drought-free is in the works.

"We will have Vadhavan Port in the next few years. It will put India on the global maritime map. It will not only help Maharashtra in its economic growth but also become a growth engine for India."

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