The new government in Maharashtra, formed by the Mahayuti alliance, is set to be sworn in on December 5, with Devendra Fadnavis emerging as the top contender for the Chief Minister’s post, according to a senior BJP leader.
After the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections, the Mahayuti alliance, consisting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), successfully secured a majority by winning 230 out of the 288 seats.
The BJP, which emerged as the largest party, claimed 132 seats, followed by Shiv Sena with 57 and NCP with 41 seats. Despite the victory, the delay in forming the new government stemmed from the tripartite alliance’s indecision on who would take the helm as the next chief minister.
Discussions regarding the power-sharing agreement took place late last week, with key figures, including Eknath Shinde, Fadnavis, and Pawar, meeting BJP President J.P. Nadda and Union Minister Amit Shah to finalize the leadership structure. A crucial meeting was initially scheduled for Friday but was postponed and will likely now occur on Sunday, as Caretaker Chief Minister Shinde headed to his village in Satara, delaying the process further.
The swearing-in ceremony is confirmed to take place on December 5 at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. However, before that, a meeting on December 2 will decide the BJP legislature party leader. Fadnavis, a seasoned political leader who has served as Maharashtra’s chief minister twice, is widely regarded as the frontrunner for the top post. Caretaker CM Shinde has pledged full support to the BJP leadership’s decision regarding the new CM and will not pose any hindrance.
The NCP, led by Ajit Pawar, has already backed Fadnavis for the Chief Minister’s position. The Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) faced a significant defeat in the elections, securing only 16 seats, marking one of its worst performances in the state. The Shiv Sena’s breakaway faction led by Uddhav Thackeray won just 20 seats.
This formation of the new government marks a crucial turning point in Maharashtra politics, with Devendra Fadnavis set to return to power, potentially reshaping the political landscape in the state.
(WITH INPUTS FROM AGENCY)
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