Ideas Of India 2026: Devendra Fadnavis Breaks Silence on Sunetra Pawar, BMC Funds and NCP Buzz

At the ABP Network Ideas of India Summit 2026, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis addressed a range of political and governance issues, including the use of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) funds for infrastructure projects, the appointment of Sunetra Pawar as Deputy Chief Minister, and ongoing political speculation surrounding the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Defending the BMC's decision to utilise a portion of its fixed deposits for development works, Fadnavis said public money should be used to improve the city's infrastructure rather than remain idle in bank deposits. He pointed out that the deposits earn around 4% interest, while inflation is nearly 7%, reducing the real value of the funds over time. "This is the people's money. There is no point in keeping it locked in fixed deposits when Mumbai has major development projects waiting for funding," he said.

Referring to the Mumbai Metro, Fadnavis said that while municipal corporations across India contributed around 20% towards metro projects, Mumbai's civic body under the previous administration refused to provide financial support. As a result, the state had to raise loans through MMRDA at interest rates of 9–11%, even as BMC funds remained invested at lower returns. He stressed that while maintaining financial reserves is important, they should not come at the cost of essential infrastructure development.

The Chief Minister also spoke on the issue of language politics in Maharashtra, stating that he is proud to be Marathi but will not tolerate discrimination in the name of language. "Maharashtra will function under the rule of law. Anyone attempting to create division or discriminate against people will face strict action," he said. Fadnavis also rejected claims that non-Marathi residents face harassment in Mumbai, calling such narratives misleading.

Addressing political speculation surrounding Sunetra Pawar's appointment as Deputy Chief Minister, Fadnavis clarified that the decision was made entirely by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). He said the BJP neither proposed nor influenced the appointment.

"The NCP leadership decided internally that Sunetra Pawar should become Deputy Chief Minister. They later came to me with the papers and informed me about the date. I had no objection because it was their party's decision, not ours," he said.

Responding to rumours of a possible merger between NCP factions, Fadnavis denied any BJP involvement. He said that if such a merger had actually been finalised, Ajit Pawar would have consulted the BJP as an alliance partner. "No such discussion or approval was sought from me," he added, making it clear that any internal talks within the NCP were independent of the BJP.

On allegations raised by Rohit Pawar regarding a suspected conspiracy, Fadnavis said multiple agencies are already investigating the matter. He confirmed that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is conducting its inquiry, the Maharashtra government has initiated a CID investigation, and, at the family's request, a letter has also been sent seeking a CBI probe.

"This is a sensitive matter. The DGCA is investigating, the CID probe is underway, and we have written to the CBI at the family's request. If anyone has concerns or evidence, they should submit it to the investigating agencies. We must avoid speculation and respect the dignity of the deceased and the family," Fadnavis said.

The session at Ideas of India 2026 highlighted Fadnavis' views on governance, infrastructure, coalition politics, and the need for responsible public discourse during sensitive investigations.