Triumphant Devendra Fadnavis Takes the Reins of Maharashtra Once Again.
In a decisive move, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has finalized Devendra Fadnavis as the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra, potentially ending the prolonged suspense over the state’s top political post. Fadnavis is set to be sworn in as the Chief Minister at a grand ceremony in Mumbai’s Azad Maidan on Wednesday.
He acknowledged that his position would not have been possible without the support of the BJP’s 132 elected members. Fadnavis also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his guidance and vowed that the BJP’s “double engine” government would drive development in Maharashtra.
The BJP’s core committee’s decision to nominate Fadnavis as the Chief Minister caps an 11-day suspense that followed the state’s assembly elections.
While the Mahayuti alliance, led by the BJP, secured a massive victory by winning 230 out of 288 seats, there were initial demands from Shiv Sena leaders that their candidate, Eknath Shinde, should retain the top post.
Facing the BJP’s formidable position, Eknath Shinde publicly stated that he would not be an obstacle in the government formation process and would accept the decision taken by Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the Chief Minister’s post.
This pragmatic approach by Shinde seemed to have limited his leverage in pushing for a hard bargain, as the BJP now only requires the support of one of its allies to reach the majority mark in the assembly.
The Mahayuti’s emphatic victory in the state polls, with the BJP emerging as the dominant partner, has paved the way for Fadnavis’ return to the Chief Minister’s office.
His previous stints in the top job, coupled with the BJP’s “double engine” governance promise, are expected to shape the political landscape of Maharashtra in the coming years.
