Maharashtra civic polls: 40 pc BJP candidates to be below 35 years of age, says CM Fadnavis

Mumbai, Nov 24 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said BJP will reserve at least 40 per cent of tickets for the upcoming civic polls for those below the age of 35.

Polls to several civic bodies in the state, including Mumbai, have to be completed before January 31 next year. They have been pending since 2022.

"I can tell you with certainty that at least 40 per cent of those contesting civic polls from BJP will be under 35," he said.

Interacting with youth here at an event, the CM also said the presence of candidates with criminal records reflected society at large.

"Any democratic institution is a reflection of society, and the institution also shapes society. A total of 216 candidates in the last BMC polls had criminal records. It is true that some wrong people are there, but to call everyone corrupt is also wrong," Fadnavis said.

The CM hailed the performance of the Modi government, saying India's growth rate contradicted allegations of systemic rot.

"If the entire system had been bad, our country would not have grown at such a high pace. There is not a single corruption charge against the 11-year tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. If there are corruption charges, the question is whether the government has the tenacity to act. I think we have shown it," he asserted.

Fadnavis also said democracy gets strengthened only when people engage.

"Unless citizens participate, wrong people will not be removed from the system. Our country was the epitome of corruption between 2009 and 2014. So people voted for PM Modi, and change happened," he said.

On criminal cases registered during protests, Fadnavis said the law treats all offences similarly.

"In a democracy, different types of agitations are held. Such cases are filed in police stations and our criminal justice system does not distinguish between political crime and normal crime," he said.

Referring to cases filed against him, Fadnavis said none involved any moral wrongdoing.

"In 2016, a report said that among chief ministers facing police complaints, I was on top with 35 cases, followed by then Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. Not a single case against me was of moral turpitude. I had done nothing wrong. I had fought for public causes," Fadnavis said.

The CM also pointed out that a large share of those having criminal cases were activists.

"Out of the 40 per cent people you (media) talked about, 10 per cent may be wrong, but others were fighting for people's causes," Fadnavis said.

Asked about working with leaders of differing ideologies, Fadnavis said relevance was essential for ideological survival.

"Democracy runs on ideology as well as numbers. You cannot propagate ideology without numbers," the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader opined.

Referring to strategist Prashant Kishor, whose party failed to open its account in the recent Bihar assembly polls, Fadnavis said, "He presented an ideological alternative in Bihar but could not win a single seat." "How can he bring change? To keep your ideology, ethos and morality alive, you always need to be relevant in politics," Fadnavis asserted. PTI ND BNM