Maharashtra Election 2024: Weeks ago, when Devendra Fadnavis was asked about the CM face of Mahayuti, he hinted towards Eknath Shinde sitting beside him. A day ago, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that while Eknath Shinde is the present Chief Minister, the three Mahayuti partners will sit together after the polls to decide the CM candidate. Addressing a rally in Sangli last week, Amit Shah claimed that the public wants to see the ‘return of the Mahayuti and Fadnavis’.
The BJP has left the ‘Maharashtra CM face question’ open-ended with its allies NCP and Shiv Sena maintaining a balanced stand. The subtle messaging from the BJP leaders has hinted at a change of leadership post-polls if the Mahayuti wins the election. The BJP has maintained that the party with the most seats will play ‘big brother’ role and is likely to get the CM post.
Fadnavis is still the primary choice for the Chief Ministerial post in the BJP ranks and file while the Shiv Sena has maintained that Shinde will continue to remain the CM face. On the other hand, Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is more cautious in its approach when it comes to the CM post. NCP state chief Sunil Tatkare said, “The larger issues like CM, etc are best left to the top leadership after the elections.”
Fadnavis’s growing support for the top position appears to come from two main factors. First, many believe that Maharashtra undertook significant, bold measures for the state’s welfare under his leadership from 2014 to 2019. Additionally, there is a strong sentiment among party members and within the RSS that he was unfairly asked to step down as CM in 2022 to bring the Sena into the NDA. If the BJP regains power independently, they feel that Fadnavis should not have to make such a sacrifice again.
The BJP is trying hard to reverse its fortune in the assembly elections and not repeat a dull performance like the Lok Sabha elections. While Fadnavis may be the leading candidate for the top position, the BJP will need to secure the largest share of seats within the Mahayuti alliance to ensure its choice is accepted by its coalition partners.
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