Suspense Over: BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis To Be Maharashtra CM, Oath Tomorrow

Mumbai: Suspense is over. BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is all set to take oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister for a third term tomorrow (December 4). The decision was taken after a consensus was reached during a crucial BJP meeting on Wednesday. Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde is likely to become the Deputy Chief Minister along with NCP’s Ajit Pawar.

Fadnavis, Shinde and Pawar will take oath on Thursday at 5 pm at the iconic Azad Maidan in Mumbai, BJP Maharashtra president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, said as reported by the India Today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to attend the swearing-in ceremony, reports claim.

Fadnavis addressed a party event after being chosen for the CM post. He reiterated PM Modi’s ‘ek hai, safe hai’ slogan, indicating the united spirit of the Mahayuti coalition that stormed to power in Maharashtra.

Fadnavis’ name for the CM post was proposed by Vijay Rupani, reports claimed. The proposal was unanimously supported by senior BJP leaders like Sudhir Mungantiwar and Pankaja Munde.

Looking back at Fadnavi’s journey to the third term as CM

2014: Fadnavis became the Chief Minister for the first time at 44. He was the second-youngest CM in Maharashtra after Sharad Pawar. BJP was then in coalition with the then undivided Shiv Sena.

2019: After the Assembly polls, the Shiv Sena walked out of the alliance amid a tussle over rotational chief ministership, the Fadnavis-led faction joined hands with Ajit Pawar. Fadnavis took oath as the Chief Minister and Ajit Pawar as the Deputy Chief Minister. However, the government lasted for around 80 hours because Pawar returned to the main NCP camp.

2022: Fadnavis was in the fray for becoming the Chief Minister again after Eknath Shinde rebelled and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government collapsed. But he had to agree to be the Deputy Chief Minister under Shinde