Why NCP’s Ajit Pawar would prefer Devendra Fadnavis as Maharashtra CM

Three days to the implications, the Mahayuti is yet to declare its chief ministerial face for Maharashtra. While the BJP leaders are backing Devendra Fadnavis, Shiv Sena is pushing for Eknath Shinde’s name. Ajit Pawar of the NCP, the 0.33 partner in the alliance, is reportedly rooting for Fadnavis. Here’s why

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Ajit Pawar has reportedly backed Devendra Fadnavis for the Maharashtra CM post. File Photo/PTI

Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde has resigned as Maharashtra chief minister, paving the style for the formation of the logo new Mahayuti government. The alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Birthday celebration (BJP) scripted a landslide victory in the recently concluded Maharashtra Assembly elections.

It has been three days since the implications but the Mahayuti has no longer declared its chief minister face yet. While the BJP cadre is rooting for Devendra Fadnavis, Shiv Sena leaders are pressing for Shinde’s continuance in the top post.

Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Birthday celebration (NCP) has reportedly backed Fadnavis’ return as Maharashtra CM. Here’s why the Baramati MLA will prefer the BJP leader for the job.

‘Strained’ ties with Eknath Shinde

Tensions between Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde return to the tenure of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, reports say.

Consistent with India These days, Shinde used to be unhappy with Thackeray for letting Pawar wield significant authority in the state administration. At last, Shinde rebelled and split the then-united Shiv Sena, leading to the give way of the MVA government in June 2022.

Shinde then came to power with the help of the BJP, which used to be believed to be at the back of the revolt in the Shiv Sena. Fadnavis had to be content with the post of Deputy CM.

When junior Pawar rose against his uncle, Sharad Pawar, and broke away from the NCP to sign on for the Shinde-Fadnavis government last July, Shinde used to be no longer pleased, as per the report.

Why Ajit Pawar will back Fadnavis

NCP’s Pawar has cordial ties with Fadnavis and would feel free with Mahayuti picking the BJP leader for the top post. Ajit Pawar had taken oath as Fadnavis’ deputy in 2019 but the federal government lasted most productive eighty hours, as the NCP leader pulled out and went back to his uncle.

As per The New Indian Express (TNIE) report, the NCP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) are pushing for Fadnavis’ elevation to the Maharashtra CM post.

The newspaper reported citing sources that Pawar is “more relaxed” with Fadnavis as the CM.

Pawar convened a meeting of newly elected NCP MLAs at his official bungalow recently. At the huddle, the election results were discussed, wherein the BJP emerged as the single largest birthday party with 132 seats. Shinde’s Shiv Sena got fifty seven seats and the NCP forty-one.

“Within the meeting, it used to be also discussed that, if necessary, they'd pass a resolution and extend their beef up to Fadnavis as CM. We're waiting for the top leadership of the BJP to come to a call regarding the Chief Minister post. After that, a call can be taken in our birthday party,” a senior NCP leader told TNIE on the condition of anonymity.

There used to be consensus on supporting Fadnavis for the CM post at internal meetings, NCP leaders said, as per Indian Express. An NCP spokesperson said the Ajit Pawar-led birthday party has made it clear to the BJP leadership that Fadnavis should be “the first preference” as CM.

While the three parties have insisted that the Mahayuti leaders will p.c. the CM together, the final decision lies with the BJP top brass.

If Shinde becomes the CM, the Shiv Sena would have an edge over the NCP in the Mahayuti government. As Indian Express noted, Pawar’s birthday party just are not any more ready to demand the same stature in the federal government as the BJP given the huge difference of their seats.

Reports say the foremost likely scenario is that Fadnavis may be CM, with Shinde and Pawar set to be his deputies. As per a Times of India (TOI) report, the BJP has conveyed the decision to go ahead with Fadnavis’ name for the top job to the NCP, which is on board.

The same can be communicated to the Shiv Sena.

What has Shiv Sena said?

Thus some distance, the Shiv Sena has no longer budged from its demand to retain Shinde as the Maharashtra chief minister.

Shiv Sena spokesperson Naresh Mhaske on Monday (November 25) batted for Shinde to continue as the CM citing the Bihar example. “We feel Shinde should be the manager minister, a terrific deal like in Bihar where BJP did no longer take a look at the numbers but still made JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar the CM. Senior leaders of the Mahayuti (in Maharashtra) will eventually take a call,” he used to be quoted as saying by PTI.

Alternatively, BJP MLC Pravin Darekar supported Fadnavis to helm the logo new government, brushing off Mhaske’s comments as his “personal” opinion and no longer the birthday party’s stand.

“People have given [the] mandate to Devendra Fadnavis. The people of Maharashtra stood at the back of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said the BJP leader.

As a result of its massive mandate, the BJP just are not any more heavily reliant on its allies to touch the majority mark of A hundred forty five in the Maharashtra Assembly. With the NCP on its side, the saffron birthday party can comfortably stake claim to form the federal government. Both the Shiv Sena and NCP will, alternatively, are trying and get as many ministerial berths for their parties as they're in a position to.

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 26, 2024

As the suspense continues, Shinde, who submitted his resignation to Governor CP Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhawan this day (November 26), has urged his supporters no longer to gather outside his official residence ‘Varsha’ in south Mumbai to press for his continuation as the CM.

Shinde will function the caretaker CM until the logo new government is formed.

With inputs from agencies