After the BJP-led Mahayuti swept the civic polls in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Devendra Fadnavis said the next Mumbai mayor will be from the saffron party.
The Mahayuti alliance secured 120 seats in the polls, crossing the half-way mark in the 227-member BMC. BJP won in 93 seats while the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena won 27 seats.
Udhhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena fared better that Shinde's party, winning 63 seats. His cousin, Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena bagged 10 seats. However, the Pawar clan faltered as Ajit Pawar's NCP and his uncle Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP) drew a blank.
Fadnavis thanked the people of Maharashtra for giving a grand victory to the BJP in the municipal elections. "The BJP and Mahayuti are going to form their 25 mayors after these elections," he said.
The BJP offered a developmental agenda and the people responded positively. "We have received a record-breaking mandate in many municipal corporations and it underscores that people want honesty and development. That is why people voted for the BJP," the CM said.
"The verdict reflects the trust of the people of Maharashtra in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the policies pursued by the BJP-led alliance," Fadnavis added.
However, he pointed out that he humbly remembers Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray whose blessings have helped Mahayuti secure victory.
"Our agenda will always be development and we will use our victory to transform the lives of people. Hindutva has always been our soul and one can not differentiate our Hindutva from development. Our Hindutva is inclusive," he said.
