Following the Mahayuti alliance’s decisive victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections, discussions are intensifying over who will assume the chief minister's position.
The alliance, comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction, secured a resounding 230 seats out of 288.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal suggested Ajit Pawar might be considered for the top role, highlighting the party’s electoral success. "Ajit Pawar could also be the CM. Our (NCP's) strike rate is very good. A discussion will soon be held in this regard," Bhujbal, who won from Yevla, told reporters.
Deepak Mankar, Pune NCP president, also endorsed Pawar, describing him as a proven leader. "If ‘Dada’ (Ajit Pawar) becomes CM, Maharashtra will get a good direction. We’ve seen his work as Deputy CM over the last 2.5 years. Mahayuti is ensuring inclusive governance," Mankar told reporters.
However, the BJP appears to favour its own candidate. Ashishrao Deshmukh, BJP MLA from Savner, indicated strong support for former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
"The people of Maharashtra have shown faith in the BJP and Mahayuti. We’ve achieved unprecedented results. BJP workers and MLAs overwhelmingly back Devendra Fadnavis for the CM’s post," he said.
The Mahayuti alliance's electoral performance dealt a severe blow to the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats, while Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena secured 57, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction claimed 41 seats.
In contrast, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) managed just 20 seats, Congress 16, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction only 10.
BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule confirmed that the decision on the next chief minister will be made by the Mahayuti leadership and the BJP parliamentary board.
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