Fadnavis Quells Union Cabinet Speculation, Confirms He Will Remain in Maharashtra

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday put to rest political speculation regarding his potential induction into the Union Cabinet in Delhi, asserting during an interaction with reporters in Nagpur that he will remain in Maharashtra to serve the state's residents.

The political buzz was triggered by Fadnavis making a brief visit to the national capital on Saturday, where he held meetings with senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. Although the agenda of those discussions remained undisclosed, the timing sparked rumors, coming immediately after Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as Union Education Minister earlier that day.

The speculation picked up traction after Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut claimed that Fadnavis was a frontrunner to replace Pradhan in the central cabinet.

Addressing the rumors in Nagpur, the Chief Minister categorically rejected any shift to the national capital. "I am in Nagpur today and will leave for Mumbai in the evening. I will be in Mumbai and in Maharashtra only," Fadnavis told reporters, emphasizing that his political responsibilities remain firmly rooted in the state.

Fadnavis also downplayed a Sunday event held at Shivaji Park, which was jointly organized by the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to celebrate Pradhan’s resignation. He remarked that he was happy they got a reason to celebrate, noting that issues like the NEET paper leak do not belong to any individual or political party, as they concern the youth of the entire country.

Defending the Union government's response to the paper leak controversy, Fadnavis commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking decisive action and showing sensitivity. He noted that the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, scheduled to be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday, would be a first-of-its-kind legislation globally.

In addition, Fadnavis took a swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray over remarks alleging that the Modi-led government was losing public support. Pointing out that Thackeray has made similar statements for 10 years without impact, Fadnavis cited global engagement records broken by a video posted by Modi on social media at 1 am on Sunday as proof that the country stands behind the Prime Minister.