MUMBAI: Seeking to project unity in Mahayuti, BJP’s legislative party leader Devendra Fadnavis said, “The chief minister’s post is just a technical agreement between us.”
At a presser with Fadnavis and NCP’s Ajit Pawar, outgoing CM Eknath Shinde evaded a reply when asked if he would join the govt. “Wait till evening,” he said, only for Ajit to interject, “He may decide by evening, but I am going to take oath (as dy CM).” While Ajit’s comment drew laughter, Shinde said, “Ajit dada has experience. He can take oath in evening as well as in the morning,” referring to the NCP chief’s early-morning oath-taking as Fadnavis’s deputy when BJP and an NCP faction led by him formed a short-lived govt in 2019. Ajit remarked that this time, it won’t be for a short span but for five years.
Ajit Pawar will be deputy CM for a record sixth time. Wilfred De Souza (Goa) had four terms as deputy, while Sushil Modi (Bihar), Mukul Sangma (Meghalaya) and Sukhbir Badal (Punjab) have been dy CMs three times each.
According to reports, Mahayuti has submitted to the governor a list of 237 legislators (out of a total of 288) in support of the govt. “We submitted a letter from political parties supporting us. After the governor was convinced we have enough support, he invited us to form the govt,” Fadnavis said. Before heading to Raj Bhavan, Fadnavis was elected leader of BJP legislative party. Members of the BJP state core committee met at Vidhan Bhavan before the legislative party meeting.
The core committee meeting was held in the presence of central observers – Union FM Nirmala Sitharaman and former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani. Party national general secretary Vinod Tawade was also present. At the meeting, Fadnavis’s name was proposed and approved for the legislative party leader’s post. It was decided that Chandrakant Patil would propose his name at the legislative party meeting and Sudhir Mungantiwar would second the motion.
Shinde said at the presser that he had made it clear to PM Modi, home minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda that he would support BJP’s decision on the new CM. “It is my commitment to both Modi and Shah. They stood by me like a rock and supported our decisions. Installation of new CM will be a smooth affair and there will be no hindrance from our side,” Shinde said.
Shinde said the victory of Mahayuti candidates in the assembly elections was “unprecedented” in recent political history. “People of Maharashtra voted for the developmental work of Modi and Shah. We took all developmental projects stalled by the MVA govt to the logical end,” he said.
He said the election of Fadnavis as CM will benefit the state in view of his experience as CM from 2014 to 2019 and again as deputy CM. “Our team, comprising myself, Fadnavis and Ajit worked relentlessly for the cause of the state and I am sure the new team too will work with the same vigour and enthusiasm. Now we have greater responsibility,” Shinde added.