Shah meets CM, Dy CMs during curtailed visit to city

The home minister met Fadnavis and Shinde together on Tuesday morning while his meeting with Pawar was held on Monday, said sources

Mumbai: Union home minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah held meetings with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar before curtailing his Mumbai visit and returning to New Delhi on Tuesday afternoon. The home minister met Fadnavis and Shinde together on Tuesday morning while his meeting with Pawar was held on Monday, said sources in the Mahayuti alliance.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah presents a cheque to Swatantryaveer Savarkar Pratishthan's Ranjit Savarkar and Asholt Raje during 'Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Inspirational Song Award 2025' presentation for song "Anadi Mee.. Anant Mee ..." written by Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, at Varsha, official residence of the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai on Tuesday. State Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and others also seen. (ANI)

Shah’s meetings with top leaders of the alliance assumes significance in light of upcoming elections to 687 local bodies in the state including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). In the meeting with Fadnavis and Shinde, discussions were held about the three parties contesting the local polls together and the seat-sharing arrangement for civic polls in Mumbai and other cities, said a senior BJP leader. Ajit Pawar raised some issues related to his party during his meeting with Shah, said an NCP minister.

On Tuesday, Shah presented the state government’s newly constituted ‘Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje Rajya Prerna Geet Award’ to the song “Anadi me, Anant me, Awadhya me” (I am without an end, without a start, invincible), written by Savarkar. The award was presented to Savarkar’s kin Ranjit Savarkar, at Varsha, the official residence of the chief minister.

Shah left for Delhi thereafter, upending plans of inaugurating the Veer Savarkar Study and Research Centre at Mumbai University. State officials and BJP leaders said they were not aware why Shah’s visit was curtailed.

Earlier in the day, Shah attended a programme commemorating 150 years of the Lakshminarayan Temple in Madhavbaug. He said he was born in Mumbai and three of my sisters were married in the temple premises. He also extolled the initiatives taken by the temple in the education sector.

“This tradition has been going on for 150 years and it is a matter of great pride for all of us. We have to think that when we celebrate the completion of 200 years, what will be the form of this trust. Can we convert this trust into a religious centre that removes all the worries of the middle-class society,” Shah said.

The home minister suggested that a wellness centre be built in the temple premises for the ailing citizens utilising the centre’s health schemes.

Chavan set to be new state BJP chief

State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawnakule on Tuesday indicated that the party’s working president Ravindra Chavan would be his successor.

“Chavan is our working president and soon he will be the state BJP president,” Bawankule said during a programme at the BJP office, while admitting former NCP MLA Dilip Wagh into the party.

Bawnakule was inducted as revenue minister in the Mahayuti government last year.