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Maharashtra CM Fadnavis says BJP will contest 2029 state polls with Mahayuti, not alone

MUMBAI: Despite Union Home Minister Amit Shahs plan for the BJP to go solo in the 2029 state elections, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday expressed a different view, stating that the BJP still needs its allies in Maharashtra and that the 2029 state polls will be contested jointly with the Mahayuti partners. Fadnavis also clarified that there is no dispute between him and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, although differences of opinion do existjust as they do in any healthy family. Speaking for the first time about the growing gulf between BJP and Shinde, Fadnavis reiterated that there is no conflict between them. He compared their relationship to that of two brothers in a family who may hold differing views on certain matters. Two brothers always fight and put their strong opinion, same way, we do the same, so that does not mean there is a dispute between me Shinde and. We do fail to get a consensus over some issues. If we had one opinion, then we would not have remained in two different political parties. We would have been at one party only. More broadly, we are together, and we will remain together,Fadnavis said. He further stated that while the BJP will continue with its expansion plans, the 2029 Lok Sabha and state elections will still be fought as an alliance. BJP is indeed a major and strong party; we do need allies in Maharashtra, therefore, the 2029 polls will be fought together only. BJP as a party will continue to grow in the state; that does not mean that we will leave the allies. It is not like that when we are strong, we should leave the allies. We will not let this happen, he added. Earlier, Union Minister Amit Shah had remarked that the BJP no longer needs crutches in Maharashtra and intends to contest alone in 2029. Commenting on the varied political combinations seen during the local body elections, Fadnavis acknowledged that different parties had come together despite lacking ideological alignment or power-sharing arrangements. However, he said that such alliances in grassroots polls are driven by local calculations and the interests of party workers. Fadnavis clarification comes as a relief to DCM Eknath Shinde, especially as State BJP president Ravindra Chavan continues to target him and suggests that the alliance may be reconsidered once the local body elections conclude. Chavan had earlier indicated that the BJP would break the alliance for the local polls and even took a dig at Shinde, remarking that the number two positionthe DCM postholds little importance compared to the number one post of Chief Minister. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut claims 35 MLAs from Shinde faction set to defect to BJP