Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis addressed Mumbai BJP workers at the Vijay Sankalp Melava, acknowledging the recent Lok Sabha election results in Maharashtra as a setback for the party. However, he expressed confidence in BJP's resilience, emphasizing that while the party may be down, it is far from out in the state.
Fadnavis characterized the election outcome as a "temporary setback," attributing it to what he termed as a "fake narrative." Despite the electoral loss, he highlighted that the party's overall vote share in Mumbai and Maharashtra remained intact, with the Mahayuti alliance falling short by only two lakh votes compared to the Maha Vikas Aghadi.
The Deputy Chief Minister pointed out that the results indicated a divergence in voting patterns, with Marathis and Mumbaikars not aligning with Shiv Sena's agenda. He attributed Shiv Sena's success to votes from a specific minority community, alleging a departure from the party's Hindutva ideology.
Fadnavis underscored the significance of upcoming elections for the Mumbai Graduate constituency, viewing it as an opportunity for BJP to reclaim its strength and counter what he described as "appeasement politics." With the party's prestige at stake, the focus has shifted towards these elections to the Maharashtra Legislative Council.
In the aftermath of the Lok Sabha polls, BJP is gearing up for a renewed battle, determined to overcome recent setbacks and reaffirm its presence in Maharashtra's political landscape.