Preeti Choudhry: Is Devendra Fadnavis the BJP's Next Prime Ministerial Contender for 2029?

Preeti Choudhry anchors this Special Report from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation building as Maharashtra civic poll results indicate a significant political shift. The Mahayuti alliance, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party and Eknath Shinde, secures a dominant position across 29 municipalities. Analysts Rajdeep Sardesai, Sahil Joshi, and Dhawal Kulkarni join the discussion to examine the BJP's emergence as the primary force in India's wealthiest civic body. The report details the impact on the Thackeray and Pawar families, noting a decline in traditional regional brand influence. Devendra Fadnavis is identified as the architect of this electoral strategy, with the panel evaluating his potential transition into national politics by 2029. Key topics include the fragmentation of the Muslim vote, the systematic dismantling of regional rivals like the Shiv Sena and NCP, and the evolving political landscape of Mumbai. The program concludes that the BJP's urban appeal and strategic alliances have fundamentally altered the Maharashtra political map, forcing the opposition to reinvent their strategies.