Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis has emerged victorious from the Nagpur South West constituency in the assembly elections. Fadnavis beat his congress opponent Prafulla Gudhade Patil by 39,710 votes. From starting his career as a humble corporator to becoming Maharashtra’s youngest mayor and its first BJP chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis’ political journey has been proof of persistence and acumen. At 54, he has a strong background of RSS, he is all set to reclaim the state’s top post for the third tenure. He has managed to create a unique identity of himself in a state traditionally dominated by Maratha leaders.
Fadnavis is only the second Brahmin chief minister after Shiv Sena’s Manohar Joshi. His steady rise in Maratha politics has also been because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leader Amit Shah’s trust in him. Modi has once called him ”Nagpur’s gift to the country”, underlining his position within the party.
All about Fadnavis
Fadnavis’ political beginning commenced as a member of Akhil Vidyarthi Parishad, the RSS’s student wing in the year 1989. By the age of 27, he had taken over as Nagpur’s youngest mayor, and in 1999 he made his entry into the state assembly. He has been representing Nagur’s SouthWest seat since then. Despite his party’s highs and lows, Fadnavis successfully managed to earn a reputation as a corruption-free leader.
His first term as Maharashtra’s chief minister received huge praise for pushing infrastructure projects and attracting urban voters. However, he had to face difficulties like cross losses because of adverse weather and was criticised for delaying loan waivers for farmers. His regulations on granting reservations to Maratha had initially created tension but was condemned when it was struck down by the Supreme Court.
Despite facing difficulties, he remained a key strategist. After the 2019 assembly elections, the political crisis made him take up the post of CM along with NCP leader Ajit Pawar but it collapsed soon. He then took up the responsibility as the opposition leader but came back as deputy CM under Eknath Shinde in 2022. The move displayed his adaptability and loyalty to party decisions. As Saturday’s state result favouring the BJP, Fadnavis’ political capability, and ability to steer Maharashtra’s dynamics position him as a crucial figure. Whether as a leader or a strategist, Fadnavis continues to be a crucial figure in Maharashtra’s politics.
(With inputs from PTI)