The suspense surrounding Maharashtra’s next Chief Minister continues as incumbent Eknath Shinde resigns. He had served for only a few weeks and resigned following the Mahayuti alliance’s landslide victory in the state polls. Despite this resignation, the BJP-led coalition remains undecided on its choice for the top position.
The BJP is championing a return of former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to power while Shiv Sena legislators are supporting Shinde for a second consecutive term. According to reports, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar has joined hands with Fadnavis. With 132 BJP MLAs 57 from Shiv Sena, and 41 from NCP, the BJP has only one ally that it needs to ensure its majority in the 288-member Assembly, leaving little leverage to Shinde.
Eknath Shinde resigns, speaks on his big decision
The Shiv Sena loyalists were to stage the show of loyalty outside the official residence of Chief Minister, Varsha. However, Shinde pleaded for restraint, not wanting his followers to take to the streets. “We fought the election together and remain united,” Shinde said on social media, thanking them for their support and underlining how united they are with this alliance.
Sena’s pointman Naresh Mhaske added to the debate as he is pitching for Shinde, but insisted continuity of Shinde can be drawn from the “Bihar model” wherein BJP sacrificed numbers over leadership stability and the Haryana example where it was the larger party which supported the incumbent Chief Minister.
What BJP leaders have to say?
BJP leaders, however, argue that Fadnavis has the people’s mandate and is better suited for the role. Pravin Darekar, a senior BJP leader, highlighted Fadnavis’s leadership during the election, emphasizing his coordination and strategy. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the BJP’s ideological parent, also reportedly backs Fadnavis as Chief Minister, aligning with its centenary celebrations next year.
For now, the decision-making process is delaying speculations regarding a potential President’s Rule. In fact, top officials have reassured that the 15th Assembly is already there, not posing an issue with the government formation process.
As the political maneuvering gets intense and time keeps running out, Maharashtra closely watches as the BJP and its allies conclude their decision for the state’s leadership.
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