‘All’s Well In Mahayuti’: Fadnavis Rejects ‘Cold War’ Buzz With Shinde Ahead Of Civic Body Polls

Mumbai: With the high-stakes Maharashtra civic body elections on the horizon, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, in an exclusive interview to Republic Media Network Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, firmly rejected speculation of a “cold war” with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, asserting that the alliance remains intact despite inevitable local-level pressures.

Putting to rest rumours of friction within the BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) alliance, Fadnavis said there was “neither a cold war nor a hot war” between the two leaders. “We have been working together for the past 10-11 years. Even when he was not associated with the BJP, our relations were never sour. Even today, we enjoy a comfortable relationship,” he said.

However, Fadnavis candidly acknowledged that alliance politics becomes complex on the ground, especially ahead of the civic elections. “At the end of the day, both of us have to run our individual parties. If we want to keep our party alive, we have to keep our cadre alive,” he told Arnab.

Addressing questions on whether the alliance is fully operative at the local level, Fadnavis said the BJP has made several compromises to keep the coalition together. Citing examples, he said the BJP adjusted seat-sharing in Kalyan Dombivli and Jalgaon despite being in a stronger position. “In Kalyan Dombivli, because they won more seats last time, we gave them a larger share. In Jalgaon, where we had won 57 seats and had a full majority, we took only 47 seats because we wanted the alliance. We made our cadre understand the simple equations,” he said, adding that while adjustments are sometimes possible, but not always.

Responding to Arnab Goswami’s question on why Shinde had publicly stressed “coalition dharma” last month if all was well within the alliance, Fadnavis acknowledged that tensions had flared at the local level but said they were promptly addressed. He pointed to a series of defections that triggered unease on both sides. Five former BJP corporators in Ulhasnagar crossed over to Shinde’s Shiv Sena, followed by leaders from the Shinde faction defecting to the BJP in Palghar and Kalyan. “After this, a conflict did arise. We sat together and addressed the concerns of leaders from both parties and decided that we will not exploit or take advantage of local fights or tussles,” Fadnavis said.

He admitted that local-level friction peaked in November after BJP leader Nilesh Rane shared a video allegedly showing Rs 25 lakh being recovered from a BJP leader’s residence in Malvan, which went viral. “Yes, that incident escalated matters, but after that we sat down, spoke at length and resolved the issues. Since then, there have been no defections and everything is running smoothly,” he said.

Fadnavis underlined that in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, the BJP and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena are the two dominant political forces. “Somewhere they are stronger, somewhere we have a better hold. Conflicts do arise, but at the end of the day, we resolve them,” he said, reinforcing his assertion that the alliance remains stable ahead of the BMC polls.

On reports that Shinde had boycotted a Cabinet meeting, Fadnavis dismissed the claim outright. “There is no truth to this. He personally called and informed me that he was unwell and could not attend,” he said, underlining that governance cannot function under a fractured mandate.

The Deputy CM also spoke about the pressure of leadership, saying, “My party has poured belief into me. There is always pressure because of the faith my party has put in me.”

Striking a confident note ahead of the BMC elections, Fadnavis predicted a sweeping victory for the NDA in Mumbai and Maharashtra. “Twenty-seven out of 29 are with the NDA,” he declared, signalling BJP’s confidence in the alliance’s electoral prospects.

As Arnab Goswami pressed him on whether the alliance was merely an “alliance for power” with backroom local adjustments, Fadnavis maintained that while tactical understandings are part of coalition politics, stability and governance remain the priority. “No governance can happen in a fractured mandate,” he reiterated.

The interview comes at a crucial political moment, with Mumbai’s civic polls expected to be a litmus test for the BJP-Shinde Sena partnership and a key indicator of power equations in Maharashtra.

BJP-Shiv Sena Faultlines: From Allies To Rivals & Back

The relationship between Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde has not always been friction-free. The BJP and the undivided Shiv Sena were long-time allies in Maharashtra, but cracks widened after the 2019 Assembly elections when the Sena broke ranks with the BJP and formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government with the Congress and NCP. During this phase, Fadnavis sat in the Opposition while Shinde served as a senior minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led government, marking the sharpest political divergence between the two camps.

The tussle resurfaced dramatically in 2022 when Shinde led a rebellion within the Shiv Sena, toppling the MVA government and eventually aligning with the BJP to form a new regime. While the BJP emerged as the single largest party, Shinde was made the Chief Minister, with Fadnavis taking on the role of the Deputy CM, a decision that sparked speculation of internal power struggles and ego clashes.

In 2024, Fadnavis was sworn in as the Chief Minister after lot of suspense and a tug-of-war between the BJP and the Shiv Sena over the top post. Shinde and Ajit Pawar were sworn in as the Deputy Chief Ministers. Fadnavis’s twin political masterstrokes destabilised and divided the Sena and the NCP and laid the foundation for the Mahayuti's big win.

Since then, reports of strain have periodically surfaced, particularly over0020control of local bodies, seat-sharing and cadre-level competition ahead of civic elections, including the BMC. Missed meetings, parallel outreach programmes and aggressive posturing by local leaders from both sides have repeatedly fuelled talk of a “cold war” within the alliance.

It is against this backdrop of past break-ups, reunions and recurring turf battles that Fadnavis’ emphatic assertion of “no tussle” with Shinde and his admission of unavoidable local-level conflicts gains political significance ahead of the high-stakes Mumbai civic polls.