‘I am the ocean, will come back’: Fadnavis’s old video viral as BJP eyes historic Maharashtra win

mumbai: The Mahayuti alliance is all set for a resounding triumph in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, marking a dramatic turnaround from the 2019 Lok Sabha setback. At the heart of this historic victory is Devendra Fadnavis, the BJP stalwart who has propelled the party to unprecedented success, with BJP alone leading in 126 seats.

As election results unfolded, an old video of the Maharashtra deputy chief minister began making waves on social media. In the clip, recorded after the BJP’s underwhelming performance in the 2019 elections, Fadnavis is heard saying, “Seeing my water come down, the house mat sits on my shore, I am proud of you, I will come back again.” (Don’t build a house on my shore after seeing my water receding. I am the ocean. I will come back). This prophetic statement now resonates with his comeback as the BJP’s leading face in the state.

These videos are in discussion today after the results of Maharashtra elections.

Exactly 5 years ago Devendra Fadnavis had said:

watching my water come down
don't build a house on my shore
i am the sea
will come back come back#DevendraFadnavis Aditya Thackeray #Maharashtra Sanjay Raut Ajit Pawar EVMS #ToxicTheMovie pic.twitter.com/KQNhzdalrg

— political voices (@politicvoices_) November 23, 2024

Mahayuti crosses 200 marks

According to the latest counting trends, the Mahayuti is on track to secure more than 200 seats, with BJP alone leading in 125 out of the 149 constituencies it contested. The alliance’s dominant position signals a significant recovery for the BJP compared to its previous Lok Sabha performance in the state.

Speculation is rife about the BJP staking claim to the chief minister’s post, given its commanding lead. The circumstances today are markedly different from when Fadnavis assumed the deputy CM role after the 2019 elections. Observers suggest the party may now seek to install its leader in the top position.

BJP’s hat-trick in Maharashtra

Maharashtra has joined the list of states where the BJP has got three consecutive election victories, showcasing its strong governance model and voter appeal. It is now the sixth state, alongside Goa, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, to witness this milestone. The BJP’s strike rate in Maharashtra stands at an impressive 85.5% (124/145), with allies Shiv Sena (70%) and NCP (62.7%) also performing well.

At the same time, the Congress (18.6%), Shiv Sena (UBT, 20.6%) and Sharad Pawar’s NCP (15.1%) saw their worst-ever performances. Congress is set to win just 19 seats, marking a historic low, while Sharad Pawar’s NCP trails with 13 seats—its poorest result to date. It is to be noted that no party other than the BJP has crossed 100 seats in Maharashtra since 1990. Independents and Others are outperforming major opposition players, securing 20 seats compared to UBT’s 19 and Sharad Pawar’s 13.