Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis addressed sharp political questions at the Lokmat Maharashtrian of the Year Awards 2025 held at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai on Wednesday. During the event, Fadnavis responded to Nationalist Congress Party - Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) leader leader Jayant Patil’s questions with witty and direct answers.
Patil asked Fadnavis to describe NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Uddhav Thackeray in a few words. Fadnavis responded, saying both leaders could be summed up in one sentence: “There is no trust.”
Patil pressed for separate descriptions, but Fadnavis insisted that the behavior of both leaders could be summed up in the phrase “no trust.”
During the interview, Patil also asked about the topic of party splits. Fadnavis responded by saying, "When you point one finger at someone, you must remember that four fingers are pointing back at you. People may see the split parties, but they fail to see the stolen mandate. Had the result of the 2019 election not been stolen, there wouldn’t have been any discussion of party splits. We did not split any parties. The leaders of these parties were responsible for bringing that situation upon themselves."
The Lokmat Maharashtrian of the Year Awards honor individuals who have made extraordinary contributions in various fields, including sports, cinema, science, technology, business, arts, infrastructure, society, politics, and administration. The awards are given in recognition of significant contributions made in Maharashtra.