PM Modi will win third term with 'bumper majority', says Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said people in the country have already decided to give another term to Prime Minister Narendra Modi reported news agency PTITalking to reporters at his residence here on the occasion of Diwali the Bharatiya Janata Party leader also dismissed speculation that he himself might contest the Lok Sabha elections next year reported PTIPeople have already made up their minds to give Modi a third term with a bumper majority in the 2024 general elections No matter how hard anybody tries people will not change their minds Fadnavis saidAsked about speculation that he could contest the Lok Sabha elections Devendra Fadnavis said he will be contesting the next years Maharashtra assembly polls from Nagpur He currently represents the Nagpur SouthWest assembly seat reported PTITo the question where he saw himself in the next ten years Devendra Fadnavis a former chief minister said he will remain with the BJP and carry out whatever responsibility the party assigns to him reported PTIOn the issue of Maratha quota and activist Manoj Jaranges ongoing statewide tour Fadnavis said his priority was to ensure law and order reported PTII told all the ministers that we have to work as minister of the entire state to ensure there is no tension The chief minister has promised Maratha quota said Fadnavis who also holds the home portfolio reported PTINotably senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal had opposed giving the Maratha community a share in the Other Backward Classes OBC quota reported PTIAsked about cabinet expansion Fadnavis said We are trying to have a cabinet expansion before the next months winter session in NagpurTalking about the scheduled inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya in January he said people are excited about it and many want to attend the event The Uttar Pradesh government has agreed to allot land for a Maharashtra Bhavan in Ayodhya he added reported PTIOn the issue of alarming pollution levels in Mumbai Fadnavis said besides construction activity transportation and release of untreated sewage or industrial effluents are major pollution contributors The government is working to curb pollution he added reported PTIThe young generation is more aware about the issues of pollution and environment conservation he noted reported PTIAsked why municipal elections in Mumbai and elsewhere in the state have been delayed Fadnavis said it was up to the Supreme Court reported PTIWe too want municipal elections as the results of the recent gram panchayat polls will be replicated in municipal corporations Fadnavis claimed reported PTIThe BJP and its allies Eknath Shindeled Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP have claimed victory in the panchayat polls which are not fought on party lines reported PTITo a question about deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar joining his uncle Sharad Pawars family for Diwali celebrations despite their political rift and the message it sent out Fadnavis said it showed that notwithstanding differences family relations are important and one should not bring politics into familyWith inputs from PTI