On Monday, the BJP’s top leadership confirmed Devendra Fadnavis as the party’s choice for the Chief Minister’s post. The proposal also received approval from the BJP’s alliance partners—Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), headed by Ajit Pawar, according to two senior sources within the BJP. A BJP insider confirmed, “Fadnavis’s name has been approved by the party leadership for the CM role.” Sources within the Mahayuti coalition also stated, “In addition to Fadnavis as CM, both Shiv Sena and NCP will each have one Deputy Chief Minister.”
On Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership officially endorsed Devendra Fadnavis as their candidate for the Chief Minister’s post in Maharashtra. This decision comes after consultations and discussions within the party, culminating in Fadnavis’s name being cleared by the top echelons of the BJP. The proposal also gained the approval of the BJP’s alliance partners in Maharashtra — the Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), headed by Ajit Pawar. This signals a significant political development, with both the Shiv Sena and NCP agreeing to the proposed leadership structure.
According to two senior sources within the BJP, the leadership’s decision to back Fadnavis was taken after careful deliberation. One insider from the party remarked, “Fadnavis’s name has been approved by the BJP leadership for the role of Chief Minister.” This move consolidates the BJP’s leadership in Maharashtra, further solidifying Fadnavis’s prominent political position in the state after his previous terms as Chief Minister.
In addition to the decision on Fadnavis, the sources confirmed that both Shiv Sena and NCP will be granted one Deputy Chief Minister position each as part of the agreement within the Mahayuti coalition. These deputy positions are expected to be filled by prominent leaders from both parties, ensuring that the power-sharing arrangement within the coalition remains balanced. A source within the Mahayuti alliance added, “The agreement is that apart from Fadnavis as CM, both the Shiv Sena and NCP will have one deputy CM each.”
The formation of this new government marks a continuation of the complex political alliances in Maharashtra, where shifting alliances and party dynamics often play a critical role in determining leadership. The inclusion of both Shiv Sena and NCP in the government as deputy chief ministers is seen as a strategic move to maintain unity and cooperation among the coalition partners. This development also comes after months of negotiations and political maneuvering between the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP.
As the finalization of the leadership structure unfolds, the political landscape of Maharashtra is poised for further changes, with the BJP aiming to strengthen its hold over the state while ensuring that its alliance partners are adequately represented in the new government. The announcement is likely to influence the future direction of politics in Maharashtra, with potential implications for the balance of power in the state legislature and beyond.
