During an election rally held on Saturday in Dahanu, Palghar, for the Nagar Palika and Nagar Panchayat polls, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde made a sharp remark, saying that “arrogance destroyed Ravan, and because of his ego, the golden Lanka was burnt to ashes.” Shinde’s statement was officially directed at the local BJP Nagar President in Dahanu, but the real target was widely understood to be Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
A day later, CM Fadnavis hit back during his own rally in Dahanu. Responding to the “Lanka” comment, he said, “Who told you that we will burn your Lanka? We don’t live in Lanka — we are followers of Lord Ram. How can Ram’s followers have a Lanka? These kinds of remarks are often made during election campaigns. The BJP is a party devoted to Lord Ram; only the party’s candidate, Bharat, can set Lanka ablaze.” In the Palghar district’s Dahanu Nagar Palika elections, the BJP and the Shiv Sena are contesting directly against each other, intensifying the political battle.
Praise for Shinde’s Work and Past Elections
Fadnavis also spoke about the Urban Development Department and mentioned that during the last council elections, money was distributed before voting. He joked that Goddess Lakshmi had visited the houses of supporters, telling them to wake up and be blessed. He praised Eknath Shinde, saying that in his 30 years as an MLA, Shinde was the only Chief Minister who stayed awake till 2 a.m. to complete public work and issue government orders.
BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule commented that such remarks are common during election campaigns. He said decisions about funds are made collectively by the three top leaders of the alliance and that fiery speeches are simply part of the election season.
