Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday delivered a politically charged message ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, asserting that Mumbai’s original residents would no longer be pushed to the city’s fringes. Addressing the Mahayuti office bearers’ meet in Worli, the Chief Minister said the government is committed to ensuring that Marathi-speaking citizens get dignified housing within Mumbai itself.

Fadnavis reiterated that the Mahayuti alliance has taken a clear stand on the city’s leadership, declaring that Mumbai will soon have a mayor who reflects the city’s cultural roots. Without naming rivals directly, he criticised opposition parties for what he described as headline-driven promises, saying governance cannot run on “temporary freebies and hollow assurances.”

The Chief Minister said the Mahayuti believes in long-term urban solutions rather than populist announcements. He highlighted redevelopment projects in traditional Marathi neighbourhoods, stating that areas neglected for decades are finally seeing construction and rehabilitation through government-led initiatives.

Referring to stalled housing projects of the past, Fadnavis said his government is correcting historical wrongs by ensuring displaced residents receive homes they were promised. He stressed that redevelopment is being carried out without financial burden on beneficiaries, calling it a model of “justice with development.”

Fadnavis also underlined infrastructure expansion as a key pillar of Mahayuti’s Mumbai vision. He said the rapidly expanding Metro network is designed to drastically cut travel time across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, making daily life easier for working citizens.