05 August,2025 01:35 PM IST | Mumbai | Sanjeev Shivadekar
CM Devendra Fadnavis, Forest Minister Ganesh Naik and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar meet a delegation of political and religious leaders at Mantralaya on Tuesday.
The Maharashtra government will make every possible effort to bring back Mahadevi, the elephant currently housed at Vantara in Gujarat.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a closed-door meeting with a delegation comprising political leaders Satej (alias Bunty) Patil of Congress, Raju Shetty of Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena Member of Parliament Dhairyasheel Mane over the issue. Besides political leaders, religious leaders from the Jain community were also present in the meeting.
According to the delegation members, Fadnavis has assured them he would be part of the petition that will be filed seeking the Maharashtra elephant's return from Gujarat.
"In the meeting, Fadnavis mentioned that the matter is sub-judice. However, taking local sentiments into consideration, the Maharashtra government will make every possible effort to get the elephant back," Shetty said.
The delegation had sought time from the chief minister to press for Mahadevi's return. The elephant was recently shifted from Maharashtra to Gujarat on court orders, sparking widespread protests in Kolhapur.
Last week, thousands of locals joined a silent long march led by Shetty demanding the return of elephant. Patil initiated a signature campaign, which, according to media reports, received over two lakh signatures.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Sena MP Mane claimed that Fadnavis had expressed solidarity with the public sentiment and assured the state would put its best foot forward to meet the locals' demand.
In July, the Bombay High Court had dismissed a petition filed by a Jain math in Kolhapur challenging the transfer of the captive elephant to Gujarat. Following court order, Mahadevi was moved to the Vantara centre.
