Mahayuti’s ‘Maha’ dilemma: What are the chances of Devendra Fadnavis becoming CM?

Maharashtra has delivered a transparent mandate for the Mahayuti, with the alliance grabbing 230 of the 288 Assembly seats. Now, the BJP-led grouping has to come to a decision its CM %. Will the saffron celebration choose Devendra Fadnavis, the frontrunner, or follow ‘coalition dharma’ and continue with Eknath Shinde?

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BJP's Devendra Fadnavis has emerged because the frontrunner for Maharashtra CM post. File Photo/PTI

After a decisive victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Mahayuti faces a conundrum: Who should lead the state — Devendra Fadnavis or Eknath Shinde? Two days to the outcomes, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led alliance is yet to announce its Chief Ministerial % for Maharashtra.

The Mahayuti has stormed back to power in the western state, with the BJP emerging because the single-largest celebration with 132 out of 288 seats. Its allies – the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) – bagged fifty seven and Forty one seats respectively. The opposition, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), won just forty six seats in total.

Worldwide the wake of the BJP’s stellar performance, Fadnavis is seen as a frontrunner for the Maharashtra CM job. Nevertheless, reports say, Shinde seriously is not very ready to let go of the head post.

Let’s take a more in-depth look.

Mahayuti’s quandary: Fadnavis vs Shinde?

Many BJP leaders have is known as for Fadnavis to be chosen as Maharashtra’s CM after the celebration’s impressive performance in the polls.

He is believed to have scripted the BJP’s big victory in the Assembly polls after the dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections.

While Fadnavis is the plain choice, which is a superb way not a done deal. Shinde, the incumbent chief minister, seems to be in no mood to supply up the post – yet.

The Shiv Sena leaders argue that Shinde should continue because the CM because the state went to polls along with his face. Additionally they credit the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, a scheme providing financial assistance to poor females, for Mahayuti’s win.

As per CNN-News18 sources, Ajit Pawar’s NCP has backed Fadnavis for the CM post, after a meeting on Sunday (November 24).

Sources added that the Mahayuti government will continue with the formula of a CM and two deputy CMs.

— News18 (@CNNnews18) November 25, 2024

There are reports that Fadnavis, Pawar, and Shinde are susceptible to satisfy Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi at this time time. Discussions about rotational chief ministership may maybe also come up, reported NDTV.

Shiv Sena candidate Sanjay Shirsat said, “There are chances that the Mahayuti leaders will head to Delhi on Monday. Every celebration worker wants their celebration leader to be the chief, on the choice hand the final decision lies with Ekanth Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar."

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Sunday said that the celebration leadership and Mahayuti leaders will take a call on the Maharashtra CM %.

What are Fadnavis’s chances to be Maharashtra’s CM?

There may additionally be growing sentiment contained in the BJP for Fadnavis to stake claim to the chief ministership, which many accept as true with he had to sacrifice in 2022 for Shinde.

He also enjoys beef up from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for the head job. After the Lok Sabha poll debacle in Maharashtra, Fadnavis had approached the RSS on the look for assist in countering the MVA’s narrative that the BJP opposed the Constitution and alleged consolidation of votes on caste and religious lines against the saffron celebration, reported Indian Express.

The RSS, the ideological parent of the BJP, led sustained voter mobilisation efforts this time.
A senior RSS/BJP functionary, on the condition of anonymity, told Indian Express, “The RSS’s concern is that Maharashtra, with this sort of huge mandate now, will deserve to have an ready administrator and visionary who can lead the state with a company hand.”

Within the course of the campaigning, Union Home Minister Shah had said that the Mahayuti partners will take a seat together to come to a decision the following CM. Nevertheless, he also mentioned that the people wanted the “return of the Mahayuti and Fadnavis”.

Still, Fadnavis’ road seriously is not very clear because the BJP leadership also has to pay attention on its “coalition dharma”.

As per reports, some in the celebration beef up retaining Shinde as chief minister for now, while accommodating Fadnavis on the national level because the BJP national president.

A senior BJP leader told Indian Express that the celebration’s “image” as a coalition partner may maybe suffer if Shinde is replaced after the alliance went to polls with him because the CM. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always believed in ensuring that alliance partners have faith the BJP regardless of it being the larger celebration. To have the choice to think twice sooner than we come to a decision. The BJP leadership will definitely not do anything to create mistrust or lose the goodwill of its partners in the
National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as we're a coalition government on the centre,” this leader added.

Fadnavis’ Brahmin identity may maybe also be a pay attention on deciding the CM face. For the duration of this case, he may maybe lose to Maratha leader Shinde.

While Marathas comprise 30 per cent of the state’s population, Brahmins account for around 10 per cent.

Shinde, who is reluctant to go away the CM post, argues that his continuance in the head job may maybe benefit Mahayuti in the upcoming local body polls, including the important thing Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, sources told Times of India (TOI).

Even if the BJP goes beforehand with Fadnavis because the CM face, upsetting Shiv Sena, the celebration has the mandate to take action. It simplest needs the beef up of one amongst its allies to form the government.
Nevertheless, which is a superb way more likely that the BJP will assuage Shinde through Cabinet posts in place of isolating him.

With inputs from agencies