Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 17 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday dismissed opposition criticism and asserted that the electorate has firmly backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, regardless of whether rival parties contested jointly or separately.
Speaking to ANI, Fadnavis said, "The opposition contested elections both together and individually, but the public supports PM Modi. Janata ke maan me Modi ji hi hai (PM Modi lives in the heart of the public)...I won't comment on what is happening in someone's family or party. We are focused on serving the public."
Reacting sharply to remarks made by businessman Robert Vadra on the Bihar election result, the Chief Minister questioned the relevance of his political comments.
"Is he an expert who has knowledge of elections? Is he a politician? Has he researched anything...Why do you waste our time by asking about people like him?" Fadnavis said.
Earlier in the day, Indian entrepreneur Robert Vadra urged the winning National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government to fulfil the promises it made during the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025.
"The government that has just been formed must fulfil the promises it has made. Rahul will be among the people there tomorrow. Many young people are joining him, and it will be a movement in its own way. He made it clear that the EC is helping the BJP," he said.
Furthermore, he emphasised the need to save democracy in the country, stating, "People are not happy with the results. But Rahul and Priyanka will continue to work hard, and we have to save democracy across the country; that is the most important thing. This fight will continue, and everyone feels that it is harmful for the country. There will be no progress without fair elections. This is what everyone thinks."
On Friday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed that the Bihar Assembly election was "unfair from the beginning" after the party failed to hit double digits despite contesting on 61 seats.
Gandhi said that the party will review its performance after the election and assured that Congress will continue to "fight for the protection of the Constitution and democracy."
In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said, "I express my heartfelt gratitude to those millions of voters in Bihar who expressed their trust in the Mahagathbandhan. This result in Bihar is truly surprising. We could not achieve victory in an election that was unfair from the very beginning."
"This fight is for the protection of the Constitution and democracy. The Congress Party and the INDIA alliance will deeply review this result and make their efforts to save democracy even more effective," he added.
Meanwhile, the ruling NDA got 202 seats, a three-fourths majority in the 243-member House. This is the second time the NDA has crossed the 200-mark in the assembly polls. In the 2010 polls, it had won 206 seats.
Mahagathbandhan got just 35 seats with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) winning 25 seats, Congress 6, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) - CPI(ML)(L) - two, Indian Inclusive Party (IIP) - one and Communist Party of India (Marxist) - CPI(M) one seat.