Early Life and Education

Devendra Gangadharrao Fadnavis was born on July 22, 1970, in Nagpur, Maharashtra. His father, Gangadharrao Fadnavis, was a prominent politician and a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, while his mother, Sarita Fadnavis, was the former director of the Vidarbha Housing Credit Society. Devendra’s early education was at Indira Gandhi Convent School and later at Saraswati Vidyalaya, Nagpur. He holds a degree in Law from Government Law College, Nagpur, and a postgraduate degree in Business Management​​.

Political Career

Fadnavis began his political journey with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). His early political career saw him become the youngest Municipal Councillor of Nagpur at the age of 21. He served as Mayor of Nagpur, making history as the only person to be re-elected as Mayor in Maharashtra. He was first elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in 1999 from the Nagpur West constituency​​.

Fadnavis’s rise in the BJP saw him hold various significant positions, including the President of the Maharashtra BJP unit. In 2014, he became the second-youngest Chief Minister of Maharashtra at the age of 44 and the first BJP CM of the state. He was re-elected as CM in 2019, though his second tenure lasted only 80 hours, making it the shortest in Maharashtra’s history​. Currently, he is the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, serving alongside Ajit Pawar.

Major Achievements

As Chief Minister, Fadnavis led numerous developmental initiatives and reforms. He is credited with implementing the Mumbai Metro project, enhancing the state’s infrastructure, and promoting investments. His administration’s focus was on improving urban and rural connectivity and providing better amenities​.

Key Political Initiatives

Fadnavis’s tenure was marked by significant initiatives such as:

• Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan: A campaign aimed at making Maharashtra drought-free by 2019, focusing on water conservation and management​ ​.
• Mumbai Metro Expansion: Under his leadership, the Mumbai Metro project saw substantial progress, aiming to alleviate the city’s traffic woes and enhance public transport​​.
• Digital Maharashtra: Promoting digital infrastructure and services to make governance more transparent and accessible​​.

Contributions

Fadnavis played a crucial role in the BJP’s strategy in Maharashtra, contributing to the party’s significant victories in state and national elections. He has been instrumental in maintaining the party’s stronghold and expanding its influence in the state​ (Hindustan Times)​​ (ABP Live)​.

Social Media

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram

Personal Life

Fadnavis is married to Amruta Fadnavis, a banker and singer. They have a daughter named Divija. The Fadnavis family is well-known for their involvement in social and cultural activities​​.

Legacy and Future Prospects

Devendra Fadnavis is seen as a key leader in Maharashtra politics with significant influence within the BJP. His strategic acumen and leadership skills have positioned him as a prominent figure, with prospects of higher roles within the party and government in the future​​.

Promises

Fadnavis has made several promises during his tenure, focusing on infrastructure development, water conservation, and digital initiatives. His future commitments include continuing the work on the Mumbai Metro project, enhancing rural connectivity, and promoting sustainable development in Maharashtra​​.

He has assured that the government will spare no effort in advancing Vidarbha and Marathwada. He emphasized, “We are determined for all-round development and will ensure no funding is lacking for these regions.” (TOI)

He promised over one lakh government job posts to be filled by their government soon. (IndiaToday)

Devendra Fadnavis committed to completing the Bhama-Ashked Dam by the end of 2024, ensuring it will effectively address the water scarcity issues in Pimpri-Chinchwad and support regional development. (IndianExpress)

Industrial Development: Fadnavis has pledged to make Maharashtra the most developed industrial state in India. He emphasized policy reforms aimed at socio-economic upliftment and attracting foreign direct investment.

Infrastructure Projects: He has promised major infrastructure projects, including the development of Mumbai Port Trust land, the Vadhavan port project in Palghar, and an oil refinery project in Konkan.

Economic Growth: Fadnavis aims to make Maharashtra a trillion-dollar economy by 2025 by investing in infrastructure, agriculture, and services, and leveraging foreign investments.

Agricultural Support: He has committed to addressing the farmer crisis through initiatives like the Jalyukta Shivar water conservation project and providing financial help and enhanced irrigation potential.

Education and Tribal Welfare: Ensuring quality education for tribal students has been a priority, with promises to provide the best schooling for 25,000 tribal students.

Inclusive Growth: Fadnavis has emphasized inclusive growth, aiming to eliminate discrimination and ensure that the benefits of government projects reach the last mile users.

Controversies

1. Anil Deshmukh Allegations: Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has accused Fadnavis of pressuring him to file false affidavits against Uddhav Thackeray and other Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders to destabilize the government. Deshmukh claimed that Fadnavis offered to halt probes against him in exchange for these affidavits.
2. Underworld Connections: Senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat alleged that Fadnavis met with an underworld don during his tenure as Chief Minister³. This accusation also included claims of Fadnavis sheltering another criminal, Munna Yadav.
3. Pen Drive Controversy: There has been a recent controversy involving a pen drive that allegedly contains video evidence against Anil Deshmukh. Fadnavis has been challenged to release this evidence, which he claims shows Deshmukh speaking ill about key political figures.

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