Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis offer sweets to each other during a press conference as the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secures victory amid the counting of votes for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, in Mumbai, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024.
PTI
Mumbai: After the unprecedented win of the Maha Yuti, BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis has emerged as the frontrunner for the post of Maharashtra Chief Minister as the process of government formation started on Saturday evening.
The legislature party meetings of the BJP and its allies - Shiv Sena and NCP - are expected on Sunday.
The swearing in ceremony is expected in Wankhede Stadium or Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Monday or Tuesday.
The Maharashtra unit of the BJP too conveyed to the BJP high-command that 54-year-old Fadnavis, who is now the Deputy CM, needs to be in top job.
Six-time MLA Fadnavis, a two-time CM and ex-Leader of the Opposition, preferred to be very guarded in his comments - when he spoke to media persons in Mumbai and his hometown from Nagpur.
However, the Shiv Sena wants Eknath Shinde in the top job again.
On the other hand, Ajit Pawar, who is now Deputy CM and NCP President, preferred to stay away from the debate, however, his party workers are hoping for something big.
“The BJP knows how to spring surprises. We have seen these in other states. As of now what appears is that the state BJP is keen on Fadnavis, the architect of the victory, however, the final call would be taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah,” sources in the Maha Yuti told the DH on Saturday.
Fadnavis, however, said that there is a process to be followed. “The leaders of the three parties would meet and decide the CM…the legislature party meetings would be held separately. Thereafter the leaders of the three parties would meet…for BJP it is the parliamentary board and for Shiv Sena it is Shinde Saheb and NCP it is Ajit Dada,” he said.
“There was no issue during seat-sharing...there is no issue at all for the post of CM…it would be decided by the leaders of the three parties,” said Shinde.
However, his aides - Naresh Mhaske and Sanjay Shirsat are rooting for another term for him.
Shinde in a significant statement, however, noted: “Our government was the common man's government…women, children and farmers were the centre point for us. We want to convert the common man into Superman. For me, the full form of CM is not Chief Minister, it's Common Man.”
Ajit Pawar's wife and Rajya Sabha member Sunetra Pawar said: “I thank the people of Baramati for extending their support to Ajit Dada. This is the victory of the people of Baramati. The win is the win of the people, I want the same as the public wants.”
“Who the CM would be would be decided by our central parliamentary board. However, if we are asked, then we would unanimously say that it should be Fadnavis,” said BJP MLA Chandrakant Patil
“We want Fadnavis to be the CM, the party workers want him,” added BJP MLC Pravin Darekar.
Maharashtra Assembly poll 2024 results| Check constituency results here
Jharkhand Assembly poll 2024 results| Check constituency results here
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Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls took place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP went up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress tried to make their mark. Maha Yuti are currently comfortably poised to win. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faced a challenge after Hemant Soren's arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP, but look set to retain power with its I.N.D.I.A. allies. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.
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