In poll bound Maharashtra, BJP leader and the State’s Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis lashed out at the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance for allegedly yielding to demands from the Ulema Council, a Muslim clerical body.

In an interview with ANI, Fadnavis said that the Ulema Council had presented 17 demands to the MVA, which the alliance reportedly accepted through a formal letter.
“The Ulema Council declared support to them, and they put forward 17 demands. They (MVA) have given a formal letter that says we accept these 17 demands. I have no objection if someone puts forward any demands; I just question which of these demands are acceptable. I will tell you one demand,” he said.

“One demand is: all cases against the Muslim community in riots from 2012 to 2024 should be dismissed and taken back. I want to ask, what kind of politics is this?” Fadnavis added, “If any party wants to fight elections by taking along such rioters, and we remain divided (Batenge), we will be culled (Katenge),” he added.
Highlighting BJP’s stance on religious unity, Fadnavis cited the slogan coined by Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath saying, “When Yogi says, ‘Batenge tho Katenge,’ he is reminding us of history.” Fadnavis added, “This land belongs to our ancestors, like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, not to Razakars.”

Referring to this scenario as a “Dharma Yudh” (a righteous battle), Fadnavis said, “Our Dharma Yudh is based on the principle of ‘Yato Dharmastato Jayah’–where there is truth, there is victory.” He stressed the importance of resisting falsehood and maintaining national unity.

In response to the opposition MVA’s alleged alignment with groups like the Ulema Council, Fadnavis argued, “If in 1920 Congress had not given in to the demand to sing only half of Vande Mataram, the seed of division would not have been sown then.” He suggested that such precedents have historically contributed to communal division, adding, “This is why we need a ‘Dharm Yudh’–a righteous battle.”

Fadnavis also accused the MVA, which includes Congress and other opposition parties, of exploiting caste and religious divisions for political gain. He labelled this approach as divisive and warned that Congress’s policies aim to divide the OBC community, potentially impacting reservations for SC/ST groups if Congress comes to power. According to Fadnavis, dividing these groups weakens their collective influence, reducing them from a “pressure group” to fragmented communities.

On being asked who will be the CM if Mahayuti comes to power, Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis says “There is no plan, no date. We are sure, we will form our government. As soon as the results come, all three parties will sit together and decide who will be made the CM…I am not in this process. I am a regional leader in my party, all this is the game of national presidents.”