NCP ‘backs’ Fadnavis as CM, but Sena cites Bihar example

A game of thrones is on in Maharashtra where the question on who the next Chief Minister would be continues to loom. The final call on the issue is expected in a day or two after the two top contenders, BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis and current Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of the Shiv Sena, meet Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.

Both Fadnavis and Shinde arrived in the Capital tonight to attend the reception of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s daughter. They are expected to meet Shah on the sidelines of Birla’s event or on Tuesday.

Union Minister and Republican Party of India chief Ramdas Athawale, meanwhile, said on Monday that Fadnavis was “set to become the next CM, and that Nationalist Congress Party’s Ajit Pawar had backed him”.

NDA ally Athawale’s remarks came after he met Fadnavis in Mumbai. “Devendra Fadnavis will be chosen the CM. The BJP has won 132 seats and Shiv Sena 57. Ajit Pawar, with 41 MLAs, has also extended support to Fadnavis, although discussions with Shinde are underway,” Athawale said when asked who the CM would be. Officially, however, all three camps — BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP — maintained that no final call had been taken yet.

The Shiv Sena formally said no discussions had taken place on the CM issue so far. Shiv Sena spokesperson Naresh Mhaske made the case for Shinde to stay the CM, citing the 2020 Bihar example when the BJP, despite winning more seats than ally JD(U), let Nitish Kumar continue on the top post.

“Shinde single-handedly swung the Maratha vote in Mahayuti’s favour and away from the MVA despite the Maratha anger against Fadnavis. Before that, it was Shinde who turned the Shiv Sena support base away from Uddhav Thackeray to the BJP. Removing him will amount to political hara-kiri, especially with local body elections due in the state,” a Shiv Sena leader said.

He claimed if Shinde ceased to be the CM, it would give Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MVA a chance to accuse the BJP of exploiting Balasaheb Thackeray’s Sena name and symbol to grab power and then dump its chief. “By letting Shinde stay, the Mahayuti can consolidate on Marathi pride. This will also let the BJP cement its stated commitment to Marathi asmita,” another Shiv Sena leader said, adding that Shinde was very much in contention.

As for the BJP, it would need to strike a fine balance while deciding the CM this time. “It’s not an easy call to take even though the BJP has the numbers. Removing Shinde and appointing Fadnavis would mean dislodging a popular mass Maratha leader for a Brahmin face. The BJP cadres this time are openly seeking Fadnavis as the CM and the RSS has predictably backed him, but balancing community equations will be the burden of the top BJP strategists—PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Discussions are underway,” said a BJP source.

Although the Maharashtra Assembly’s term is ending on Tuesday, constitutional experts said the government could be formed later. Till then, Shinde could resign and the Governor could ask him to continue as the caretaker CM till the new government took shape.

Both contenders in Delhi, likely to meet Shah

Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde reached New Delhi on Monday night to attend the reception of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s daughter. They are expected to meet Home Minister Amit Shah on the sidelines of Birla’s event or on Tuesday.