Girl, 11, interviews new Maharashtra CM

An 11-year-old Mumbai girl has managed to meet and interview newly-elected Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as part of her school project, at a time when journalists across the state have been struggling to manage the same.

Drishti Harchandani of Mumbai’s J.B. Petit School had sought an interview with the chief minister on Sunday, but was turned down by his security guards. So the class V student decided to write to Fadnavis seeking an appointment with him.

The letter was written in small, neat letters on a ruled sheet of her school exercise book.

“The security guards are not allowing me in. If and when you get my letter, please call on my cell number. I need an interview for (a) school (project),” Drishti wrote to the CM.

She even mentioned her address in the letter, in case the CM wanted to “send somebody over to officially invite” her.

At the end of the letter, Drishti even drew two hearts, intending to say that she loves BJP.

A curious Fadnavis sent a formal invite to her the same day, soon after he received the letter. He made sure that the girl completed her school project by giving her a proper interview.

The CM later tweeted that he was surprised by the girl’s letter and invited the 11-year-old to his office.

“Drishti Harchandani, a school girl, wanted to interview me. She could not enter the office as the security persons did not allow her... So she sent a letter and gave her number and address so that I should

communicate with her. She wanted to confirm that she was communicating to the CM himself. I was pleasantly surprised by her persistence and curiosity. I invited her to the office,” Fadnavis tweeted.

He said Drishti asked questions like “what would I do for education sector & how our government would control price rise. She was just like “a professional journalist”, he tweeted.

Drishti lives with her parents in the city’s posh Malabar Hill area, which is close to the Sahyadri Guest House where the chief minister is staying as of now.

Neither Drishti or her family members were available for comment.