NDTV Power Play: Top Leaders Share Their Vision For Maharashtra

Several leaders shared their vision for Maharashtra's future including its politics at NDTV's Power Play on Sunday. The speakers included Maharashtra Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, BJP leader Nitesh Rane, among others, to name a few.

We look at some of the key ideas shared by the leaders and their comments on the state's politics, ahead of the election to the country's richest civic body in Mumbai, the BMC.

Can Still Shut Down Mumbai In 10 Mins, Team Uddhav MP Brags. D Fadnavis Reacts

The Thackerays can still shut down Mumbai within minutes, Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut said, echoing the might of one of Maharashtra's most powerful families that has remained ingrained in the state's politics despite electoral setbacks. "The Thackerays can never be wiped out. We can still shut down Mumbai in 10 minutes," the Rajya Sabha MP said at NDTV Power Play. Speaking at the same event an hour later, Maharashtra Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis played down the Sena (UBT) leader's "empty threats." "They said they won't let Eknath Shinde enter Mumbai. But he came with 50 MLAs and went to Raj Bhavan and formed the government. When Bal Thackeray was alive, it (a shutdown) could happen. But these guys can't do it anymore," Fadnavis said.

Maharashtra To Get AI Tool To Identify Bangladeshi Immigrants: D Fadnavis

Fadnavis said an artificial intelligence tool is being developed that will be able to identify illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants in the state. Responding to a question about a report that indicated Bangladeshi immigrants were living in Mumbai and availing government schemes on forged documents, Fadnavis said, "We understood their modus operandi - they first come to West Bengal and then prepare fake documents. They then travel to different parts of the country and use various government schemes." The tool being developed in collaboration with IIT Bombay is working with 60 per cent accuracy, he said. Fadnavis added that it is expected to operate at 100 per cent accuracy in four months.

Devendra Fadnavis At NDTV Power Play: "Dhurandhar Is On My To-Watch List"

Fadnavis shared his passion for cinema and laid out his vision for Mumbai's creative future during a conversation at NDTV's Power Play with NDTV CEO and Editor-in-Chief Rahul Kanwal, Managing Editor Padmaja Joshi, and Executive Editor Jitendra Dixit. Speaking about films he is keen to watch, the chief minister said, "I want to watch Dhurandhar. It is on my watch list." When asked about his favourite Bollywood actors at the moment, Fadnavis replied, "I like Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh. But my all-time favourites are still Amitabh Bachchan and Vinod Khanna." On his favourite actress, he added, "My all-time favourite actress is Kajol."

"Biggest Issue For Mumbaikars Is Accountability": Milind Deora To NDTV

Accountability remains the single biggest concern for ordinary Mumbaikars, Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora said, underscoring that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) must be answerable to the people it serves. Deora said the BMC is not only India's richest municipal body but also the wealthiest in Asia, a fact that Mumbai often takes pride in. He also noted that the civic body's annual budget is larger than the combined budgets of five Indian states. "The biggest issue for the common Mumbaikar is accountability. And the reason is very clear, the Mumbai Municipal Corporation is the richest municipal body in India and in Asia," he said. Without taking any names, Deora alleged that over the past 25 years, the BMC has been treated like an "ATM" by certain individuals and families, who, according to him, withdrew money from the civic body whenever it suited them.

Easier To Handle Eknath Shinde Or Uddhav Thackeray? What D Fadnavis Said

Comparing his experience of working with Uddhav Thackeray and his lieutenant-turned-rival Eknath Shinde, Fadnavis has said it is easy to handle Shinde, but quite difficult to work with Thackeray. Fadnavis has worked with both Shinde and Thackeray as part of an alliance, and NDTV Editor-in-Chief Rahul Kanwal asked him how different his experience of handling these two leaders was. "Handling Shinde ji is easy because he is an emotional man. I am emotional too, so we hit it out well. But I am more practical than him. If you understand his emotional side, it is easy to handle him. As for Uddhav ji, he is unpredictable. I will have to appoint a researcher to understand him, so handling him is difficult," Fadnavis said.

In Fadnavis' Assurance To Gen Z, A Mumbai Action Plan For Next 5 Years

Climate action is a part of our manifesto, Fadnavis said on the upcoming BMC election. Shiv Sena's Shaina NC, who was sitting in the audience, posed a question to the chief minister on behalf of Generation Z, or Gen Z (aged 18-29). Referring to a survey, she said, "Results have shown that many Gen Z members have not cast their first vote. Their top issues are the environment, including air quality index, and a pothole-free Mumbai." When asked about his government's stance and what actions are being taken, Fadnavis said, "I also have a Gen Z at home. My daughter is a Gen Z. I am happy that Gen Z is thinking about the environment. They are more aware and want to act. My daughter also questions me about it."

Nawab Malik Asked Why He Sided With Ajit Pawar After NCP Split. His Reply

Nawab Malik, the NCP's former Mumbai chief and former Maharashtra minister, explained why he sided with Ajit Pawar after he led the mutiny against NCP founder and his uncle Sharad Pawar in 2023. The rebellion split the party, after which Ajit Pawar joined the NDA. Nawab Malik, who was in jail at the time, later sided with the Ajit Pawar faction. Malik spoke to NDTV's Executive Editor Jitendra Dixit. Asked why he sided with the Ajit Pawar faction, he replied, "During my difficult time, my daughters went to every leader, but the way Ajit Pawar supported us... when I returned home, I spoke to my family members, my daughters and others said there are up and downs in politics, but it is your responsibility to stand with the one who stood by your side."

"Non-Marathi Speakers Are 100% Safe In Mumbai": Devendra Fadnavis To NDTV

Non-Marathi speakers are completely safe in Mumbai and some elements target people from underprivileged sections for publicity, Fadnavis said. "This is the third generation of north Indians living in Mumbai, they are complete Mumbaikars in their food habits, culture and festivals. There have been a few incidents, and who do they target? Cab drivers, auto-rickshaw drivers. They do it for their publicity," he said, referring to parties such as Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.

"Alliance Of Survival": Poonam Mahajan Targets Thackeray Brothers On NDTV

BJP leader and former MP Poonam Mahajan took a swipe at the coming together of the Thackeray brothers, describing their alliance as one driven by political compulsion, while asserting that voters are aware of its real intent. "Thackeray brothers alliance is for convenience and survival and I think people are well aware about it," Mahajan said.

Exclusive: Piyush Goyal's '0+0=0' Swipe On Thackeray Unity In BMC Polls

The people of Mumbai have a large heart and nobody is an "outsider", Union Minister Piyush Goyal has said, countering the opposition's 'Marathi Manoos' narrative for the upcoming BMC election. He also took a swipe at the reunion of the Thackeray brothers, saying that "zero plus zero is equal to zero". "For years, Uddhav Thackeray ran the BMC, but every year, we would face monsoon woes. After the monsoon, road repair would begin, but by the time they would be completed, the rains would return," he said.

"Have Trust In India": Piyush Goyal Exclusive On US Trade Deal

Union Minister Piyush Goyal urged for trust in India, a day after the Ministry of External Affairs firmly rejected speculation that the India-US trade agreement failed to materialise because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not place a phone call to US President Donald Trump. Responding to a question on US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's comment that negotiations with India failed while Washington moved ahead with other countries, Goyal said at NDTV Power Play, "Trust your country, your motherland, not foreign statements".

Can Mumbai Have A Muslim Mayor? What Maharashtra Minister Told NDTV

The next Mayor of Mumbai can only be a Hindu and a son of the soil, Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane said. While there have been Muslim mayors in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation before, it is no longer possible, the minister said. This, he said, is because Mumbai is a "sensitive city in its own way". "It is the financial capital. That's why the mayor here should be a Hindu and that too a Marathi". He added, "We have no problem with a nationalist Muslim, the one who says Vande Mataram and respects our national flag... but the one who is here to do Jihad we will not spare them," he said.

Can Supriya Sule Team Up With Mahayuti? What Praful Patel Said

The NCP's Praful Patel said there is no question of teaming up with Supriya Sule because their interests and goals are not aligned. "When they are not aligned, then there is no question about talking to them because our alignment is not going to change."

Team Uddhav Leader On Hindutva, Marathi Manoos, Thackeray Reunion

The Shiv Sena of the old days was very different from what a section of it is today, Arvind Sawant, senior leader of the Shiv Sena UBT, made it clear today, offering a more nuanced perspective of contentious terms like bhumiputra (sons of the soil) or Hindutva. He said a much broader definition was upheld by no less than the party founder Balasaheb Thackeray. "He used to say, 'I don't want a Hindu who goes to the temple and rings the bell. We want a Hindu who attacks the country and rings the bell. This is our Hindutva," he said. "Even in terms of running the party, there was space for Muslims, Christians, Hindus," he said. "If you look at the elections of Shiv Sena in 1968, in 1972, in 1977, you will come to know that the supporters of Shiv Sena later became Parsiyat. They are Christians, Muslims. Shabirbhai Sheikh was a Muslim. He went to the district office," he said.