PM Modi Meets Mahayuti MLAs Over Lunch, CM Fadnavis, Shinde, Pawar Among Those Present

<p><strong>Mumbai:</strong> Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met MLAs of the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra over lunch in Mumbai and shared insights on governance and public engagement, urging them to focus on development work, a legislator said.</p> <p>The luncheon meeting, which came nearly two months after the BJP-led grouping stormed back to power in the state with an overwhelming majority, was held at the INS Angre auditorium, a state government official said.</p> <p>Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy CMs <a title="Eknath Shinde" href="https://ift.tt/4JMWCLn" data-type="interlinkingkeywords">Eknath Shinde</a> and Ajit Pawar, and most other MLAs of the ruling coalition of the BJP, NCP, Shiv Sena and their smaller allies were present, sources said.</p> <p>Several Mahayuti MLAs, including Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Saroj Ahire, Dhananjay Munde, Idris Naikwadi, Prakash Solankhe, and Raju Navghare, were conspicuous by their absence.</p> <p>This was Modi's second visit to Mumbai since the formation of the Mahayuti government in early December.</p> <p>At the luncheon meeting, the PM shared insights on governance and public engagement, urging MLAs to focus on development work.</p> <p>Shiv Sena MLA Deepak Kesarkar, who attended the meeting, later told reporters, "Prime Minister Modi provided guidance on how to approach public issues and shared his political experiences. There was no criticism, only constructive discussions. It was a deeply engaging session." Asked about some MLAs skipping the lunch with PM, Kesarkar said it's not appropriate to comment on those who did not attend, but acknowledged their absence had become a topic of discussion.</p> <p>Senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar compared the short meeting to worth gaining a "decade's worth of knowledge".</p> <p>"Even after seven terms as an MLA, today's session motivated me to contest for an eighth term," he said, adding the meeting was devoid of any political discussions.</p> <p>NCP spokesperson and MLC Amol Mitkari regretted the absence of some of his party colleagues.</p> <p>"Prime Minister Modi's guidance was invaluable. Those who missed it lost a great opportunity (to learn from his experiences)," he opined.</p> <p>Employment Guarantee Scheme Minister Bharat Gogawale described the meeting as a family gathering where Modi's presence was like that of a senior member of the clan.</p> <p>BJP MLC Chitra Wagh said he (PM) "advised us to enhance public outreach and ensure government schemes reached the grassroots." She said, "It was like having a senior member guide us. His personal interaction left everyone inspired." Independent MLA Ravi Rana said the interaction and subsequent lunch with Modi was a "motivating experience".</p> <p>The Mahayuti alliance won 230 out of the 288 seats in the November 20 assembly elections last year.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)</strong></p>

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