Shinde vs Fadnavis Again: Dy CM Warns Missing Pakistanis Will be Found, CM Says no One Missing

Fresh signs of tension within Maharashtra’s ruling Mahayuti alliance emerged on Sunday as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde made contradictory statements regarding Pakistani nationals in the state following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Shinde and Fadnavis Issue Contradictory Statements

Speaking at a rally in Buldhana district, Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde claimed that 107 Pakistani nationals were “missing” in Maharashtra and warned that they would be traced and dealt with sternly if they did not leave the country. He emphasized that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had issued strong warnings to Pakistani nationals.

However, CM Devendra Fadnavis, addressing mediapersons in Pune, dismissed these claims. Without naming Shinde, Fadnavis said, “Do not make random news over this. Not a single Pakistani national is missing. All have been identified and the deportation process will be completed by today evening or tomorrow morning.”

Race for Credit Over Rescue of Stranded Tourists

This is not the first instance of friction between the Mahayuti allies. Last week, both sides rushed to claim credit for bringing back stranded tourists from Jammu and Kashmir. Shinde travelled to Srinagar to oversee the operation, while Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan handled it from Maharashtra. BJP leaders hinted that Shinde visited as a party leader rather than a government official.

BJP and Shiv Sena Ministers Spar Publicly

Further deepening the rift, BJP minister Nitesh Rane and Shiv Sena’s Minister of State for Home (Urban) Yogesh Kadam exchanged indirect attacks. Rane criticized Kadam for allegedly failing to register an FIR in a stone-pelting case, urging action under the leadership of Fadnavis. Kadam hit back, saying he needed no lessons from “outsiders” and reaffirmed his loyalty to Hindutva, subtly pointing to Rane’s earlier stint in the Congress.

The rising tensions within Mahayuti come at a critical time when public anger is mounting over security concerns following the Pahalgam terror attack.