Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has told mid-day that once the BJP wins the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, his priority would be to introduce major administrative reforms. Acknowledging that such changes would face strong resistance, he said the effort was necessary to ensure transparency and efficiency in the civic body. The CM claimed that his only concern (not fear) was voter turnout, while adding that a key advantage for the BJP-led alliance was the cordial coordination between himself and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, as well as the strong understanding among their respective parties.

The CM further alleged that his opponents, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, have deliberately shifted the campaign’s focus to political issues rather than development, as they would find it difficult to answer questions about their alleged misrule over the past two decades. Stating that the biggest loser will be Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj, the CM claimed that the Mahayuti alliance would win 26-27 of the state’s 29 municipal corporations. He elaborated on his plans for Mumbai, issues related to Bangladeshi migrants, the Thackeray cousins, the possibility of Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar-led NCP factions coming together, and other civic matters during the detailed interview.