Mumbai, Feb 9 (NationPress) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis declared on Monday that the citizens of the state have reaffirmed their faith in the Mahayuti coalition, as evidenced by its performance in the elections for the 12 zilla parishads and 125 panchayat samitis.

The BJP has once again positioned itself as the dominant party across all 12 Zilla Parishads.

It is now evident that the Mahayuti is set to govern these 12 Zilla Parishads. He underscored that this mandate serves as a green light for the government to expedite agricultural reforms and improve rural infrastructure, particularly highlighting the expansion of the solar feeder scheme to provide 24/7 electricity for farms.

During the press briefing, he rejected the notion that the BJP is merely an “urban party,” citing the ZP leads as proof of significant support in rural Maharashtra.

He asserted that the populace has opted for the “politics of development” over the “politics of emotional appeals” utilized by the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

Fadnavis mentioned that extensive investments (such as those from Davos) and infrastructure initiatives (Metro, Highways) are key factors behind the voters' confidence. “The BJP has surpassed its 2017 achievements by securing more seats,” he commented.

“According to the results announced thus far, the BJP leads in around 60 locations, including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Sindhudurg, Sangli, Dharashiv, Parbhani, and Satara. The Shiv Sena leads in two areas, Ratnagiri and Raigad, while the Nationalist Congress tops in Pune. In Kolhapur and Latur, where all three parties campaigned together, the grand alliance has emerged as the leader,” stated Devendra Fadnavis. “So far, the BJP has secured 236 seats,” he added.

Discussing the results for the Panchayat Samiti elections, Fadnavis noted that in 2017, the BJP had a total of 284 seats; however, the latest trends indicate that the party has won 410 seats. “Looking at the trends of the 125 Panchayat Samiti, the BJP will hold 50, Shiv Sena 26, Nationalist Congress Party 23, with the remaining 7-8 seats split between the Congress, Sharad Pawar's party, and 5 seats with the Shiv Sena (Thackeray) faction. Thus, the Mahayuti has managed to win over 100 out of the 125 Panchayat Samiti,” he remarked.

CM Fadnavis also paid tribute to the late Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, who passed away unexpectedly.

“Regrettably, a senior leader of our Mahayuti, Ajitdada Pawar, has passed away, which is a source of sorrow for us all. Consequently, I decided not to campaign. A video appeal was disseminated across all district councils. Nonetheless, the rural mindset of Maharashtra has emerged prominently through this,” he observed.

The CM hailed the election outcomes as a “victory for the people’s trust” in the Mahayuti alliance, despite the somber context of the recent loss of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

He acknowledged the late Ajit Pawar for the impressive performance of the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) in districts like Pune and Kolhapur, noting that voters have paid the ultimate homage to Pawar’s legacy by ensuring a sweeping victory in his home ground of Baramati.