Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, launched a sharp broadside against the Opposition and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over the ongoing protests in New Delhi, alleging that a deliberate campaign was underway to erode public trust in India's constitutional institutions. Fadnavis made these remarks while speaking to reporters after chairing the state's weekly Cabinet meeting in Mumbai.

Attack on Congress and the INDIA Bloc

The Chief Minister alleged that the Indian National Congress (Congress) and the INDIA Bloc were systematically working to spread disorder and foster negativity towards constitutional bodies. He claimed their objective was to repeatedly discredit such institutions so that citizens would lose confidence in them — ultimately, he argued, paving the way for the Constitution itself to be rejected. According to Fadnavis, the narrative being promoted was that constitutional institutions were collapsing and incapable of delivering justice.

MPSC Controversy and Student Protests

Turning to the ongoing agitation by students over the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), Fadnavis said the state government had acted proactively and accepted the core demands raised by tribal students. He alleged, however, that certain political elements were exploiting students as instruments to further their own leadership ambitions, describing the continuing protests as driven by 'political ego' rather than genuine concern for student welfare.

On demands for the removal of the current MPSC Chairman, Fadnavis offered a constitutional clarification: under Article 317 of the Constitution, the state government does not have the authority to directly remove a Commission chairman. Such a step, he explained, requires a recommendation to the President of India following a Supreme Court inquiry. He also noted that the incumbent Chairman was not in office when the alleged examination paper leak occurred, making a direct dismissal without due process constitutionally untenable.

Despite these limitations, Fadnavis said the government had requested the Governor to order a comprehensive inquiry into both current and former MPSC chairpersons, as well as into the commission's functioning during the period when the paper leak allegedly took place. He assured students that the government had no intention of shielding anyone, and that if the inquiry established wrongdoing warranting action under Article 317, the state would immediately recommend appropriate constitutional action to the President.

Drought Relief and Upcoming Central Team Visit

On the drought front, Fadnavis said the state had completed a review covering more than 23,000 surveyed villages, with ensuring drinking water availability cited as the top priority. A Central government team is scheduled to visit Maharashtra on 11 October to assess ground conditions and facilitate financial assistance from the Centre.

Gokul Dairy Elections

The Chief Minister also addressed the upcoming Kolhapur Gokul Milk Union elections, confirming that the Mahayuti ruling alliance would contest them jointly under the leadership of Hassan Mushrif. The announcement signals a coordinated alliance strategy ahead of the cooperative sector polls.

This comes amid a broader pattern of escalating political friction between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra and the Opposition-led INDIA Bloc at the national level. With the MPSC row and the Delhi protests converging into a single political flashpoint, Fadnavis's remarks are likely to sharpen the BJP's counter-narrative going into the coming weeks.