New Delhi: The ruling Mahayuti is set for a landslide win in Maharashtra, with the BJP alone crossing over 120 seats in the western state. With the saffron party emerging at the top, there is buzz about the next Chief Minister being named from the party. Devendra Fadnavis, the first BJP chief minister of Maharashtra, looks all set to occupy the state’s top post for the third time. According to sources, the BJP leader has the backing of the RSS, which has been largely credited for the BJP-led Mahayuti’s success in Vidarbha region.
Shortly after leads suggested a sweep for BJP in the state, Fadnavis dialled RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and thanked him for their support, sources told Times Now. "RSS is expected to support Fadnavis for CM post," the source added.
"RSS' support has worked significantly in Vidarbha, Marathawada where BJP had done poorly in LS polls," the source further said.
Shaking off its poor performance in the Lok Sabha in Vidarbha region, the BJP-led Mahayuti has taken a massive lead in the agrarian belt, as per trends. The Mahayuti is ahead in over 40 of the 62 Assembly seats in Vidarbha, which is home to a large chunk of both large- and small-scale farmers.
"Of course, he will become the CM…It is a big day as my son has become a big leader in the state. He was working hard at all 24 hours," his mother, Sarita Fadnavis said.
From Obscure Corporator To First BJP CM Of Maharashtra
From an obscure corporator to becoming the first BJP chief minister of Maharashtra, 54-year-old Fadnavis' climb up the political ladder has been steady. He is only the second Brahmin after BJP's estranged ally Shiv Sena's Manohar Joshi to become the state's chief minister.
The soft spoken and portly leader also enjoys the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior BJP leader Amit Shah. "Devendra is Nagpur's gift to the country," Modi had said of him at an election rally.
Though Modi had launched a campaign blitzkrieg in the 2014 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly polls, a portion of the credit also went to Fadnavis, then state BJP president, for the party's unprecedented victories in the elections.
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Fadnavis was sworn in as the chief minister for the second time on November 23, 2019 and Ajit Pawar was sworn in as the deputy chief minister. However, before a Supreme Court-ordered no confidence motion could take place, Fadnavis quit on November 26, three days after taking oath as the CM.
Unlike some leaders across the political spectrum in Maharashtra, Fadnavis has remained untainted by accusations of corruption.
One of the most articulate Maharashtra politicians, Fadnavis is also credited with pushing the previous Congress-NCP government into a corner over the alleged irrigation scam.
Fadnavis experienced his first setback as CM in the aftermath of the 2019 assembly elections as the then united Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray pulled out of the pre-poll alliance over sharing of CM's post, shattering the BJP leader’s much-hyped "mee punha yein" (I will come back again) slogan.
Fadnavis was sworn in as the chief minister for the second time on November 23, 2019 in a midnight ceremony with Ajit Pawar as the deputy chief minister. However, before a Supreme Court-ordered no confidence motion could take place, Fadnavis quit on November 26, three days after taking oath as the CM.
In the ever-evolving political environment, Fadnavis’ ability to adapt and make tactical decisions could prove crucial for him and his party.
With inputs from PTI