Devendra Fadnavis or Eknath Shinde, Who Will Become Next Maharashtra CM? As MahaYuti Looks Set To Form Government, Race for Chief Minister's Post Begins, List of Strong Contenders

Mumbai, November 23: The BJP-led MahaYuti is all set to form the government in Maharashtra after a monster win in the recently concluded assembly elections 2024. The MahaYuti shook off its dismal performance in the state in the Lok Sabha polls and returned to power with a landslide. In Maharashtra, the ruling Mahayuti alliance - comprising the BJP, Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction, and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena - sailed past the halfway mark, leading in 217 seats. Now, all eyes will be on who will be the new Maharashtra Chief Minister. As the results are unclear yet, let's look at potential chief ministerial candidates from the MahaYuti coalition.

Speaking to the media, when asked if Devendra Fadnavis would become the CM, BJP leader Pravin Darekar said, “The CM will be from Mahayuti and, obviously, the largest party has the greater chance, and with BJP emerging the largest party, if there is a CM of BJP, it will be Devendra Fadnavis.” On the other hand, many Shiv Sena leaders said the alliance went to polls under the leadership of Eknath Shinde, and thus, he should be named as the Maharashtra Chief Minister again. Meanwhile, Ajit Pawar is also a "CM hopeful". Maharashtra Election Result 2024 Constituency-Wise Winners List: Seat-Wise List of Winning Candidates From BJP, Congress, Shiv Sena, NCP and Other Parties in Maharashtra Assembly Elections.

List of MahaYuti Leaders in Race to Be Maharashtra CM

Devendra Fadnavis: The BJP Strongman

Devendra Fadnavis, a two-time former Chief Minister and the current Deputy CM has grown in influence within the BJP over the years. Fadnavis served as CM from 2014 to 2019, and though he briefly assumed office again post-2019 elections, it was under the shadow of the Shiv Sena-BJP split. After the Shiv Sena’s rebellion, Fadnavis accepted the role of Deputy CM under Eknath Shinde. However, Fadnavis’s growing clout within the BJP has fueled speculation that the party may once again consider him for the CM role if the NDA coalition wins the upcoming elections.

Eknath Shinde: A Rebel Turned CM

Currently serving as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde has had a tumultuous journey to the top. Two and a half years ago, Shinde led a rebellion against then-CM Uddhav Thackeray, splitting the Shiv Sena and forming an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Despite having a smaller faction of MLAs compared to the BJP, Shinde was appointed Chief Minister, while BJP's Devendra Fadnavis took on the role of Deputy CM. The Election Commission later recognized Shinde's faction as the official Shiv Sena. Shinde’s leadership has been under scrutiny, but his position remains strong, and it is speculated that if the Mahayuti alliance secures victory in the elections, he may continue as CM. Maharashtra Assembly Elections Results 2024 Live News Updates: Celebrations Begin as BJP-Led MahaYuti Looks Set for Landslide Victory.

Ajit Pawar: The Longtime CM Aspirant

Ajit Pawar, the senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has long been seen as a ‘CM-in-waiting.’ Pawar's political career took a dramatic turn when he rebelled against his uncle Sharad Pawar and joined the BJP-led NDA government in Maharashtra, taking on the role of Deputy CM. Ajit Pawar has been vocal about his ambition to become CM, a post he has eyed since 2004 when NCP ceded it to the Congress party. Now, in alliance with the BJP and Shiv Sena, Pawar is once again positioning himself as a potential Chief Minister if the coalition secures electoral success.

As the Maharashtra assembly elections 2024 are almost out, the alliance now seems to have hit its first hurdle—the dilemma over the CM post. However, the BJP will have the upper hand when the negotiations begin in the Mahayuti on Sunday, November 24. The BJP has a strike rate of around 85%, while the Shinde Sena has a strike rate of about 70%. This will give Fadnavis the edge over Shinde.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 23, 2024 02:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).