Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Friday that his ruling alliance, Mahayuti, is ready for both “flight and fight” in the forthcoming elections, as the BJP created history in the Haryana assembly polls. He congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for decisively overcoming the opposition in Haryana and called for the same zeal in Maharashtra as well.
Shinde addressed media persons on his government’s endeavor to start commercial operations before the projected deadline of March 31, 2025, after attending the test landing of an IAF aircraft at the Navi Mumbai International Airport in Ulwe.
Shinde leads a tripartite coalition government in Maharashtra, with his party Shiv Sena, BJP, and the Nationalist Congress Party of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
“Today, an Indian Air Force C295 aircraft successfully attempted to land at the Navi Mumbai International Airport. We are ready for flight and fight,” Shinde said in an apparent reference to the impending state assembly elections.
This became a major achievement for the airport when the transport carrier C295 touched down on the southern runway at 12:14 PM. Upon its arrival, a ceremonial water cannon salute was given to the aircraft. The airport developed by the Adani group is likely to begin commercial operations early next year.
The greenfield Navi Mumbai airport has ample capacity and is poised to become one of the country’s main aviation hubs, the Chief Minister said. He termed the project the biggest gift the public can get, underlining that once operational, it would considerably ease pressure on the existing Mumbai airport.
He also referred to the completion of the 21.8-km-long, six-lane Atal Setu sea bridge, which provided better connectivity to the upcoming airport from Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
Commenting on the BJP’s recent success in Haryana, Shinde said, “Modi threw one punch that floored the opposition. The same should be done in Maharashtra.”
