Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis emphasized that the shooting of the Badlapur sexual assault suspect was in self-defense, stating that police won’t hesitate to defend themselves, even while asserting he does not support “encounters.” Speaking at the India Today Mumbai Conclave, he highlighted the importance of adhering to the rule of law, insisting that criminals must be punished promptly and that a thorough investigation would be conducted.
Fadnavis noted that vote transfers leaned more towards Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena than Ajit Pawar’s NCP, attributing this to the newness of these parties following their breakaways. He also expressed disapproval of recent hoardings in Mumbai celebrating the shooting, which featured him holding a gun with the phrase “Badla Pura” (revenge complete). He condemned such glorification and reiterated that the state CID would ensure a fair inquiry into the incident.
With Maharashtra Assembly elections approaching, Fadnavis confidently predicted that the BJP would emerge as the largest party and that the Mahayuti alliance would secure a majority. He dismissed the notion of a rotational Chief Minister if the alliance succeeded. Addressing the BJP’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections, where it won only nine seats, he argued that labeling the party as “weak” is misguided, noting that they narrowly lost 12 additional seats by just 5,000-6,000 votes. Fadnavis acknowledged initial resistance from BJP supporters regarding the inclusion of Ajit Pawar’s NCP in the coalition, given its alleged corruption ties, especially after an RSS journal criticized the NCP for the Mahayuti’s electoral losses.
