Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday praised the Mahayuti alliance's remarkable victory in the state assembly elections, calling it a fitting tribute to the late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birth centenary. Speaking at an event in the city, where he was felicitated by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Fadnavis humbly acknowledged that his success was due to the BJP, emphasizing that power had not gone to his head. In the November 20 state assembly elections, the ruling Mahayuti alliance secured a significant victory, with the BJP winning 132 seats, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena securing 57, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of Ajit Pawar winning 41 seats. Fadnavis, who assumed office as Chief Minister for the third time earlier this month, expressed pride in the alliance's achievement, stating, “BJP alone secured 132 seats, and the Mahayuti alliance won 237 of the 288 seats. There is no greater tribute to Vajpayeeji in his centenary year than this.”
He credited the strength and perseverance of BJP workers for the victory, sharing his personal journey in politics, which began in 1992 when he contested civic elections after joining the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in his youth. Fadnavis also emphasized that the party and its workers were central to his political identity. Reflecting on the party’s revival after a challenging period post-Lok Sabha elections, Fadnavis highlighted the success of the 'Ek hain to safe hain' (united we are safe) slogan, which resonated with the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and women voters, leading to a decisive mandate.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, speaking at the event, reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Sab ka saath, sabka vikas' (together for everyone's development), stressing that true secularism is rooted in inclusivity. He recalled how Vajpayee championed India's secularism, emphasizing that historical figures like Rana Pratap and Shivaji Maharaj exemplified unity without resorting to religious division.