Mumbai, December 4: The long-drawn suspense over the new Maharashtra Chief Minister is over as the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) finalised Devendra Fadnavis for the top job. Fadnavis is set to take oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister at Mumbai's Azad Maidan tomorrow, starting his third term in the top post. Following this, a special session of the Maharashtra State Assembly will be held in Mumbai from December 7 to 9 to swear in newly elected members. The Maharashtra assembly's winter session will take place in Nagpur from December 16-23. But have you ever wondered why Maharashtra conducts its winter session in Nagpur? We at Latestly bring you the history and reason behind it.

The Mahayuti alliance witnessed a decisive victory in the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections, where they secured 230 out of 288 seats. In the aftermath of the poll results, Shiv Sena leaders insisted that Eknath Shinde, who led the alliance into the elections, should retain the Chief Minister's position. Maharashtra CM Name Confirmed: Devendra Fadnavis To Take Oath as Chief Minister on December 5, PM Narendra Modi To Attend Swearing-In Ceremony.

However, the BJP made it clear that, with 132 seats out of the 148 it contested, it would stake its claim for the role. Ultimately, Eknath Shinde publicly expressed his willingness to accept Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah's final decision regarding the Chief Minister's post, stating that he would not be an obstacle in the formation of the government.

History Behind Nagpur Being State's Winter Capital

Nagpur, which served as the capital of the British Nagpur Province from 1854 to 1956, witnessed significant political developments during the post-independence era. In December 1953, the first State Reorganization Commission of India, led by Justice Fazal Ali, was established to address the growing demands for state reorganization. The creation of the state of Maharashtra was one of the major issues that emerged, leading to confusion among Congress leaders. ‘Main to Lene Wala Hoon’: Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde Engage in Fun Banter Over Media Question on Deputy CM (Watch Video).

To resolve these tensions, Dr SM Joshi took the initiative to bring together opposition parties under the banner of the Samyukta Maharashtra Parishad. This resulted in a historic gathering of leaders in Nagpur in September 1953. On September 28, 1953, the Nagpur Agreement was signed, with key figures such as Dharamveer Bhausaheb Hire, Yashwantrao Chavan, Nana Kunte, Devkinandan Narayan, and others playing crucial roles in this accord.

The Nagpur Agreement was instrumental in addressing the concerns of various regions. Signatories represented West Maharashtra, Maha Vidarbha, and Marathwada. The agreement laid the foundation for the separation of Vidarbha and its eight districts from Central Provinces and Berar in 1956, in accordance with the Fazal Ali Commission's recommendations.

Reason Behind Why Maharashtra Assembly Winter Session is Held in Nagpur

As part of this agreement, Nagpur lost its status as the capital. On October 10, 1956, the Governor’s message was read in the Nagpur Legislative Assembly, officially dissolving the assembly and marking a significant shift in the region’s political landscape. To preserve Nagpur's connection with the state, the 1953 agreement stipulated that at least one session of the newly formed United Maharashtra should be held in Nagpur each year. In line with this provision, the Winter Session of the Maharashtra State Legislature has been held in Nagpur annually since the first session in 1950, ensuring that the city remains an important political centre in the state.

The swearing-in ceremony of Maharashtra's new Chief Minister is scheduled for December 5 and will be held at historic Azad Maidan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Union Ministers like Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, former Chief Ministers of Maharashtra, and leading industrialists, including Mukesh Ambani, etc. will attend the high-profile oath-taking ceremony.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 04, 2024 05:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).