Devendra Fadnavis is poised to take the oath of office as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra at Azad Maidan in Mumbai tomorrow, marking the commencement of his third term in this prominent role. The leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has officially designated Mr. Fadnavis as their candidate for the Chief Minister position, thereby potentially resolving the prolonged uncertainty regarding the appointment. Following this decision, his nomination was presented to the newly elected legislators, whose endorsement confirmed his selection.As preparations unfold at Azad Maidan for the significant oath-taking ceremony, which occurs two weeks after the BJP-led Mahayuti’s substantial triumph in the state elections, Mr. Fadnavis, accompanied by Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, met with Governor CP Radhakrishnan to assert their claim to form the government.
During a meeting with BJP legislators, Mr. Fadnavis expressed his gratitude for being chosen as the leader of the legislative party, acknowledging that his position was made possible by the backing of the BJP’s 132 MLAs. He extended his thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his support, emphasizing that the BJP’s ‘double engine’ government is committed to fostering development in Maharashtra. He attributed the Mahayuti’s electoral success to the Prime Minister’s slogan, ‘ek hain to safe hain.’The decision by the BJP’s core committee to select Mr. Fadnavis concludes an 11-day period of speculation regarding the Chief Minister’s appointment in Maharashtra. In the aftermath of the election results, where the Mahayuti coalition secured 230 out of 288 Assembly seats, leaders from the Shiv Sena insisted that Mr. Shinde, who led the alliance during the elections, should continue as Chief Minister.
However, the BJP asserted its intention to claim the top position, having won 132 of the 148 seats it contested. Ultimately, Mr. Shinde indicated that he would not obstruct the formation of the government and would accept any decision made by Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the Chief Minister role. Given the BJP’s current need for only one ally to achieve a majority in the Assembly, Mr. Shinde’s negotiating power was limited, especially as the NCP has reportedly committed its support.
