Promising a transparent overhaul of Mumbai focused on ease of living and livelihood opportunities, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said that the Marathi Manoos would no longer be forced to move out of the city and would instead be provided housing within Mumbai itself.
Addressing a joint BJP–Shiv Sena–RPI rally ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections in Worli, Fadnavis asserted that the next mayor of Mumbai would be from the Mahayuti alliance and would be both Marathi and Hindu. He underlined the need to make India’s financial capital safer by taking action against illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators allegedly residing in the city.
“In Mumbai, the Marathi Manoos will not be pushed out. They will be eligible for dignified homes in the heart of the city,” Fadnavis said, adding that the state government would allocate a dedicated ₹17,000 crore budget to tackle Mumbai’s pollution problem.
Expressing confidence of a decisive victory in the BMC polls, he said, “We are not intimidated by manufactured storms. Our resolve remains firm.” He accused rival parties, including Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MNS, of spreading a false narrative about threats to Mumbai in order to mislead voters. “Such claims about breaking Mumbai away from Maharashtra will not work. People know the truth,” he said.
Fadnavis also highlighted the Centre’s role in Mumbai’s development, stating that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the city had received maximum funding for mega infrastructure projects. Referring to the expanding metro network, he said the government aims to connect the entire Mumbai Metropolitan Region through a 450-km metro system, of which 350 km is already complete.
“The goal is to ensure that travel across the MMR can be completed within 59 minutes. This is not just about decongesting Mumbai, but about improving quality of life and creating better livelihood opportunities for the poor, middle class and working population,” he said.