Maharashtra’s Political Landscape: Fadnavis Returns as Chief Minister
In the lead-up to the 2019 assembly elections, Devendra Fadnavis frequently declared, “Mee Punha Yein,” which translates to “I will return.” However, after the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, this statement became a source of mockery from his political opponents. They intensified their jibes when he took on a subordinate role as Eknath Shinde’s deputy two and a half years ago. Yet, in an impressive turn of events, Fadnavis has fulfilled his promise: he is set to reclaim his position as Maharashtra’s chief minister with a commanding victory that saw the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secure 132 seats and Mahayuti garnering 230 seats overall. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for today at Azad Maidan at 5 PM.
The proposal for Fadnavis’s candidacy came from caretaker Chief Minister Shinde just hours after BJP legislators unanimously elected him as their leader. In an interesting twist of fate, Shinde remarked that it was Fadnavis who had previously recommended him for the chief ministership; now they were reversing roles.
Following a meeting with BJP legislators, both Shinde and Ajit Pawar—who is poised to become deputy CM for an unprecedented sixth time—accompanied Fadnavis in presenting their claim to form a new government before Governor CP Radhakrishnan. After discussions behind closed doors on Wednesday evening between Fadnavis and Shinde, it was agreed that Shinde would continue in his role as deputy CM.
While both leaders are set to take their oaths today, details regarding the rest of the cabinet remain pending until final agreements on power-sharing arrangements are reached.
Fadnavis expressed gratitude towards Shinde following his nomination. He mentioned having approached Shinde earlier in hopes of persuading him to join the cabinet once again—a testament to their evolving political partnership amidst shifting dynamics within Maharashtra’s governance landscape.
As Maharashtra embarks on this new chapter under familiar leadership yet again, observers will be keenly watching how these developments unfold against ongoing challenges facing state politics and governance strategies moving forward.
Intern at SMK University