'Ajit Pawar Has No Presence In Mumbai': Devendra Fadnavis, Promises Investigation Into 'Parth Pawar Land Scam'

Ahead of the Maharashtra civic body polls, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has sent a clear message to his alliance partners and political rivals, saying that in the Mumbai municipal corporation, the power remains firmly with the BJP and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

In an exclusive interview with Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, the Maharashtra Chief Minister took a dig at his Deputy and Mahayuti partner Ajit Pawar, saying that the latter's influence in Mumbai is limited.

This comes amid the ongoing investigation into the land scam case involving the Deputy CM's son, Parth Pawar.

'Pawar has no power in Mumbai': Fadnavis

The sharpest moments from the interview were when Arnab Goswami questioned the power dynamics within Mumbai. Fadnavis claimed that the NCP holds no weight in Mumbai’s upcoming local body elections.

"Ajit Pawar has no power in Mumbai; he has no presence here," Fadnavis stated.

Fadnavis, however, urged people not to "over-read" the current political equations in the local polls.

"Today in Mumbai, Shinde and I do not have seats left to give," he added, shutting the door on any major seat-sharing demands from Ajit Pawar.

On the recent attacks from NCP leader Ajit Pawar, Fadnavis seemed to dodge the question, saying, "Only Ajit Pawar can answer why he’s taking potshots at me."

Nawab Malik Friction

While the BJP had previously raised strong objections to Malik leading campaigns, owing to serious allegations levelled by the BJP against Malik, he said that these disagreements are secondary to the larger mission of the Mahayuti alliance.

He stated that while ideological differences exist, they would not be allowed to disturb the Maharashtra government's momentum.

Parth Pawar Land ‘Scam’

The interview took an even more serious turn when the discussion turned to the controversial land deal in Pune involving Parth Pawar, Ajit Pawar's son.

When asked for specifics on the role of the Deputy CM's son in what is being described as a massive land scam deal, Fadnavis said, "It is a very big scam. The issues that have come to light are serious," Fadnavis admitted.

The case involves Amadea Enterprises, a firm linked to Parth Pawar, which allegedly acquired 40 acres of government-reserved land in the Mundhwa area for ₹300 crore, despite a market valuation estimated at 2$₹1,800$ crore.

Fadnavis confirmed that a high-level inquiry is underway, signalling that the state government will not shield anyone, regardless of their political affiliations.

The ‘Saffron Flag’

Fadnavis said that the goal of both parties for the BMC remains the same: a joint BJP-Shinde victory. By asserting that the "saffron flag" will fly through this partnership, he has hinted that the Ajit Pawar-led NCP should look elsewhere for growth, marking a significant shift in the Mahayuti hierarchy ahead of the municipal polls.

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