MUMBAI: The ‘Devendra Fadnavis or Eknath Shinde‘ conundrum continues for Mahayuti on the question of who should be the new chief minister of Maharashtra even as there are indications that BJP would not want to delay the return of Fadnavis to Varsha, the CM’s official residence in Mumbai.
Shinde would have been a shoo-in as CM if the state poll results had thrown up a modest majority for Mahayuti, but the scale of BJP’s performance has transformed the party’s outlook.It would like to leverage the numbers it has to anoint Fadnavis as CM as it believes he scripted the big win after playing second fiddle to Shinde for 2.5 years as DCM.
Though this will not please the Shinde-led Shiv Sena as the poll campaign was carried out under his leadership, the BJP’s top brass is reportedly pushing for a change. It acknowledges Shinde’s leadership, the success of his Ladki Bahin initiative and his persona as accessible and a man of action who carried out a big rebellion, but it believes the win has equally been that of Hindutva forces best articulated and symbolised during the poll campaign by PM Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and UP CM Yogi Adityanath.
Shinde is learned to be reluctant to leave the office. Sources suggest that Shinde has a strategic argument that his continuation would be beneficial for the Mahayuti in the upcoming local body elections, including the crucial BMC polls.
Party insiders say several rounds of meetings, including a top brass brainstorming until late Saturday night, took place, but the issue remained undecided. Sources added that the issue is unlikely to be resolved immediately.
According to sources, Ajit Pawar‘s NCP too is in favour of Fadnavis taking over as chief minister given the BJP’s numbers. They said that the RSS has its own view, pushing subtly for Fadnavis.
Fadnavis or Shinde? Intense talks in BJP over CM post
Internal discussions within BJP circles are intense over ‘Devendra Fadnavis or Eknath Shinde’ conundrum, sources said. On the one hand, the party recognizes the electoral advantage of having a leader like Shinde, who has proven his mettle in connecting with the populace. On the other, the leadership sees Fadnavis as a figure who can bring a fresh, dynamic approach to governance, realigning state politics with the national BJP narrative of development and efficiency.
Shinde’s argument is that his appeal among urban and Marathi voters could further consolidate the coalition’s grip on state politics, ensuring a sweep in the local polls. This perspective taps into the regional pride and grassroots connection that Shinde has cultivated, which could be advantageous for the party’s broader political strategy.
Sources said the RSS has its own view, pushing subtly for Fadnavis. He could not continue as CM in 2019 despite the BJP and undivided Shiv Sena alliance’s victory under his leadership, and later, he had to be content with the deputy CM’s office under Shinde.
Fadnavis, known for his administrative acumen and political astuteness, has a history of steering Maharashtra through economic reforms and infrastructural developments. His tenure was marked by aggressive governance, which appealed to a segment of the voters who are now possibly looking for a return to his leadership style. However, the decision to replace Shinde is not straightforward.
The incumbent Mahayuti alliance delivered a stunning performance in Maharashtra, winning 233 out of 288 seats and dealing a major blow to the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), reducing them to just 49 seats and leaving them unable to claim the post of opposition leader.
The tenure of the current Maharashtra assembly ends on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, all 57 Shiv Sena MLAs have been called to a hotel in Bandra to elect the legislature party leader. The meeting may take place on Monday. Sena functionaries said CM Shinde is likely to submit his resignation to the governor on Monday or Tuesday and then continue as caretaker CM till the new CM and cabinet take oath.
