Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has dismissed speculation about a possible move to national politics following his unscheduled visit to Delhi and meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Fadnavis said he would continue working from Mumbai and serving Maharashtra, rejecting reports that he could be inducted into the Union government amid talk of a possible cabinet expansion.
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“Many people feel that I should go to Delhi, but I tell them that I am right now in Mumbai and will continue to serve the state,” Fadnavis said.
His Delhi visit on Monday had triggered speculation within political circles, particularly because of ongoing discussions about a possible expansion of both the Union and Maharashtra cabinets.
Fadnavis says state affairs were focus
Fadnavis said his meeting with Modi was focused primarily on Maharashtra’s development and pending projects.
He briefed the Prime Minister on the status of various projects being implemented in the state with assistance from the Centre. He also submitted a letter outlining Maharashtra’s requirements for projects that require central support.
During his visit, Fadnavis met Union ministers, including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav and Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal.
The discussions covered funding, environmental and forest clearances, industrial investments and infrastructure projects.
Pune Metro 3 invitation
Fadnavis also invited Prime Minister Modi to inaugurate Pune Metro 3.
The Maharashtra government has been seeking central support for several major infrastructure and industrial projects, and the Chief Minister used his Delhi meetings to press for faster approvals and funding.
Fadnavis said the state had also sought assistance for land acquisition for industrial development under the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor.
He pointed to the Shendra-Bidkin industrial area, where infrastructure has already been developed, and said Maharashtra wanted the Centre to participate in funding land acquisition.
Industrial corridors discussed
According to Fadnavis, Maharashtra is also pursuing industrial development along multiple major transport corridors.
He said the Centre had suggested developing an industrial corridor along the Delhi-Nagpur route. The state has acquired around 6,000 acres at Saoner and another 6,000 acres at Dighi for industrial development, he said.
Fadnavis added that the government also wants to establish an MIDC industrial area along the Mumbai-Bengaluru corridor.
The Chief Minister said infrastructure work had already begun in some of these areas with central funding.
Environmental clearances and Uttan-Virar corridor
Environmental and forest clearances for several projects were another major issue discussed during the Delhi meetings.
Fadnavis said he had been assured that pending clearances would be expedited.
He also discussed the JICA-funded ₹55,000-crore Uttan-Virar corridor with Sitharaman. The proposed corridor is expected to improve connectivity with Vadhvan Port.
Fadnavis said Maharashtra was advised to explore the possibility of involving another multinational agency alongside JICA for the project, and the state had agreed to examine the proposal.
Cabinet expansion speculation
Fadnavis’s sudden Delhi visit had fuelled speculation that he could be considered for a larger role at the national level.
Political discussions have also centred on the possibility of additional representation for Maharashtra in the Union cabinet.
A senior BJP leader suggested that developments in the Shiv Sena anti-defection case could have implications for state politics and that the possibility of a Union cabinet berth for the Shiv Sena may also have figured in discussions.
Fadnavis, however, sought to play down speculation about his own political future.
He said he remained focused on Maharashtra and would continue to work from Mumbai, making clear that his Delhi visit was primarily connected to the state’s administrative and development priorities.
