Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Nitin Nabin is set to undertake a one-day religious visit to Maharashtra on Wednesday, 17 September 2025, covering prominent Ganesh pandals and temples across Mumbai and Pune during the ongoing Ganeshotsav festival. The itinerary spans several of the most revered worship sites in both cities, as the BJP's top leadership continues its tradition of participating in the annual celebrations of Vighnaharta Lord Ganesh.

Mumbai Schedule: Siddhivinayak to Lalbaugcha Raja

Nabin is scheduled to land at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai at 10:20 am. He will proceed directly to the historic Shri Siddhivinayak Temple to offer prayers and perform darshan. At 11:30 am, he will visit the world-renowned Lalbaugcha Raja pandal — one of the most visited Ganesh installations in the country — to seek the blessings of Ganapati Bappa.

Following the pandal visits, Nabin will call on the official residence of the Chief Minister at Malabar Hill, where he will perform darshan of the Lord Ganesh idol installed there. He will also visit the official residences of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, both at Malabar Hill, to offer prayers. At 2:15 pm, he will participate in Ganesh Darshan at Bandra Reclamation.

Pune Leg: Kasba Peth to Dagdusheth

After concluding his Mumbai engagements, Nabin will travel to Pune for the second leg of his visit. He will first visit the Kasba Peth Mandal — historically among the oldest and most prominent Ganesh mandals in Pune — to perform darshan and seek blessings.

At 5:00 pm, he will visit the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Mandir, one of Maharashtra's most celebrated Ganesh shrines and a major draw for devotees and dignitaries alike during the festival. At 5:30 pm, the BJP chief will offer prayers at the Sane Guruji Tarun Mitra Mandal in Sadashiv Peth, followed by a visit to the Shri Sai Mitra Mandal in Kothrud.

Political Context of the Visit

The visit comes during the peak of the Ganeshotsav season, a period of significant cultural and political weight in Maharashtra. Senior political figures across party lines traditionally participate in the festival's marquee pandal visits, particularly at Lalbaugcha Raja and Dagdusheth — both of which draw lakhs of devotees and extensive media coverage annually. Nabin's tour of both cities in a single day signals the BJP's sustained organisational and cultural outreach in a state that has been at the centre of intense coalition politics in recent years.

What the Visit Signals

Maharashtra's Ganeshotsav is not merely a religious occasion — it carries considerable symbolic value for political outreach. The BJP National President's decision to personally visit pandals in Mumbai and Pune, as well as the residences of key alliance leaders, underscores the party's focus on consolidating its Mahayuti ties ahead of future electoral cycles. Nabin has stated that he will pray for peace, prosperity, and the well-being of Maharashtra and the nation as a whole.