Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Dismisses Political Speculation Over Cartoon Book Event, Says State Needs 50,000 Electric Buses Next Year
· Free Press Journal
Pune, Oct 30: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday dismissed speculation over his appearance alongside Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and other leaders at a cartoon book launch in Mumbai, describing the event as a light-hearted cultural gathering with no political significance.
While addressing the media in Pune, Fadnavis said, “The programme celebrated 75 cartoonists who had chronicled Maharashtra over the past 100 years. Leaders attended as literature lovers and that the speeches were humorous and light-hearted. There was no political agenda to it.”
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Pune | On attending the unveiling of the book 'Maharashtra Chya Hasya Resha' yesterday, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis says, "I think yesterday's programme was a wonderful event. The book, titled Maharashtrachya Hasyarekha, featured 75 cartoonists who have contributed to Maharashtra's cartooning tradition over the last 100 years. All three (Shiv Sena UBT Chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray) of us attended the book launch as lovers of literature. The speeches delivered there were light-hearted, humorous and aimed at creating a pleasant atmosphere. I believe the event reflected a beautiful aspect of Maharashtra's culture. Our ideologies may differ, and there may often be ideological differences between us. Politically, we may criticise each other, but despite these differences, we can still come together at such events. I believe this is the culture Maharashtra expects. People also appreciated the programme, and I feel that more such events should be organised in the future"
— ANI (@ANI) October 30, 2026
Fadnavis Denies Closed-Door Political Meeting
Rejecting reports of a closed-door meeting among the leaders, Fadnavis clarified that they had all been seated in the waiting area along with cartoonists before walking onto the stage together. “There was no closed-door meeting or political discussion. It was merely a light-hearted interaction,” he said, urging people not to draw political conclusions from the event.
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Separately, speaking at the inauguration of EKA Mobility’s new manufacturing unit, Fadnavis said Maharashtra would require around 50,000 electric buses over the next three to four years. He cited the Mumbai civic body’s requirement of 10,000 buses, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation’s need for 30,000 buses, and additional demand from Pune and Nagpur.
He urged the company to expand its manufacturing capacity, stressing that locally manufactured buses would support green mobility, employment generation and Maharashtra’s economy.