It’s official now: Fadnavis to lead Maha govt, Shinde’s role still uncertain
MUMBAI: Ending the suspense 11 days after the BJP-led alliance Mahayuti secured a resounding majority, the BJP leadership finalized Devendra Fadnavis as its choice for the Maharashtra Chief Minister post at a crucial meeting on Wednesday.
Devendra Fadnavis will be sworn in as the next Maharashtra Chief Minister on Thursday after Governor C. P. Radhakrishnan invited him to form the new government in the state.
Two deputy chief ministers, including NCP leader Ajit Pawar, will also be sworn in at the ceremony to be held at the sprawling Azad Maidan in south Mumbai, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The possibility of outgoing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde joining as a deputy chief minister remains uncertain. While Fadnavis said he urged Shinde to join the government, Shinde did not disclose his intentions to the media.
A delegation of the ruling Mahayuti alliance met the Governor at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday, shortly after Fadnavis was unanimously elected as the BJP legislature party leader.
At the legislature party meeting held at Vidhan Bhavan, former Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP’s Central observer Vijay Rupani announced that Fadnavis, who has previously served as Chief Minister, had been unanimously elected as the BJP legislature party leader.
Speaking at the meeting, BJP’s Central observer and Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted that the “double-engine government” at the state and Central levels would accelerate development.
Fadnavis thanked BJP legislators for placing their trust in him, attributing the Mahayuti alliance’s thumping victory in the November 20 Assembly elections to the mantra of “Ek hai toh safe hai” given by Prime Minister Modi.
At the Vidhan Bhavan meeting, senior state BJP leader Chandrakant Patil proposed Fadnavis’s name for the legislature party leader position. Speaking to the media at Raj Bhavan, Fadnavis said, “I met Eknath Shinde and conveyed that it is the wish of both the Shiv Sena and Mahayuti members that he should be part of this government. I have full faith that he will join us.”
Shinde, who had been camping in Thane citing health issues, returned to Mumbai on Tuesday, easing speculation about internal discord within the Mahayuti alliance. “I am happy that at this very place, around two and a half years ago, Fadnavis had recommended my name for the Chief Minister’s post. Now, we have recommended Fadnavis’s name for Chief Minister. This government is being formed in a healthy atmosphere. I congratulate Devendra ji and wish him the best,” Shinde said.
The BJP won 132 out of the 288 Assembly seats, marking its best performance in the state to date. Together with its allies, the Shiv Sena and NCP, the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition has a commanding majority of 230 seats. Special arrangements have been made to accommodate 40,000 BJP supporters, with separate seating for 2,000 VVIPs, including leaders from various religions.
More than 4,000 police personnel have been deployed for security during the swearing-in ceremony, according to an official. This includes 3,500 police personnel and 520 officers. An interesting detail in the invitation cards sent out by state Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik for the ceremony has caught attention. The name of the new Chief Minister is mentioned as “Devendra Sarita Gangadharrao Fadnavis.” Sarita is his mother’s name, while Gangadhar is his father’s. The BJP leader had used “Devendra Gangadhar Fadnavis” in his affidavit filed ahead of this year’s Assembly elections. The invitations for the 2014 and 2019 swearing-in ceremonies, when Fadnavis also took the oath, did not include his mother’s name.
