Maharashtra CM Highlights: Ahead of swearing-in, Fadnavis offers prayers at Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai

Devendra Fadnavis was unanimously elected as the leader of the Maharashtra BJP legislature party, clearing the path for his swearing-in as the state’s chief minister for a third term. Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and NCP’s Ajit Pawar are set to take oath as deputy chief ministers.

Devendra Fadnavis was unanimously elected as party leader in BJP legislature party meeting in Mumbai. No other name was proposed.

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Preparations are in full swing for the swearing-in ceremony which will take place tomorrow at Azad Maidan in South Mumbai. The event is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with nearly 2,000 VVIPs and 40,000 supporters. Several Union ministers, as well as 19 chief ministers and deputy chief ministers from various states, are also expected to be present at the ceremony.

Maharashtra BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar said that Mahayuti partners will meet Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan at 3:30 PM today to stake a claim to form the state government. Mungantiwar spoke to the media ahead of the BJP’s crucial legislature party meeting.

Maharashtra BJP legislature party meeting is underway in Mumbai’s Vidhan Bhawan to elect new leader.

Caste dynamics and the role of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological fountainhead of the BJP, are very crucial in the politics of Maharashtra. The RSS would like to have one of its own in the government, and Fadnavis fits right in the spot. The BJP leader from the Brahmin community has been the state’s CM in 2014 and for a brief period in 2019.

State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule had earlier announced that the new CM will take oath on December 5 at the Azad Maidan in the presence of PM Modi and other leaders.

Outgoing CM Eknath Shinde had earlier said that he would abide by the decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and would not be an obstacle in the formation of government in the state. Ajit Pawar’s NCP has stated that Fadnavis was an accepted leader to its party.

Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is set to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on Thursday, PTI reports, citing sources. His appointment was finalised during a BJP core committee meeting on Wednesday, ahead of the Maharashtra legislature party meet. Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, and Fadnavis attended the core committee meeting. Sitharaman and Rupani have been appointed as central observers for the Maharashtra legislature party meeting.

Despite the Mahayuti alliance securing a massive mandate, consensus has eluded the ruling combine’s leaders so far on who should be the next CM. Speculations were rife that with the numbers the BJP managed, Devendra Fadnavis, a former CM under whose leadership the saffron party crossed the 100-seat mark for the third consecutive time, was considered the frontrunner for the top executive post in Maharashtra.

Devendra Fadnavis to be sworn in as Maharashtra CM on Dec 5; his name finalised in BJP core committee meeting, PTI reports, citing sources.

The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) Uddhav Thackeray and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) bit the dust managing just 46 seats. The grand old party posted its worst performance in this polls winning just 16 seats, while NCP (SP) bagged 10 and Shiv Sena (UBT) 20.

The Mahayuti alliance, comprising of the BJP, Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), secured a landslide victory by winning a whopping 230 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly. Recovering from its Lok Sabha losses, the BJP secured 132 seats, the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde won 57 seats, and Ajit Pawar-led NCP bagged 41 seats.

It has been 11 days since the results of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, held on November 20 and announced on November 23, but the state still doesn’t have a Chief Minister. Speculation is growing that Devendra Fadnavis is likely to return as the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra.