Maharashtra CM race: Why BJP backs Devendra Fadnavis as front-runner while keeping Eknath Shinde onboard

Ten days after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti swept the assembly polls, discussions are underway between the ruling alliance partners on who will be the next chief minister of Maharashtra.

Devendra Fadnavis has emerged as the front-runner in the race even as an official announcement is expected on December 4, a day before the scheduled oath-taking of the new government.

Amid the delay in government formation, Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar tried to dispel rumours of a deadlock over the next chief minister being attributed to caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. "It is incorrect to say that Eknath Shinde is the reason why the government is not being formed in the state," Kesarkar said on December 2.

The Assembly Elections in Maharashtra were held on November 20 and the results were announced on November 23. The Mahayutiwon 230 seats in the 288-member assembly elections. Of these, the BJP alone bagged 132 seats. Among other partners, Shinde-led Shiv Sena won 57 seats, while Ajit Pawar’s NCP won 41 seats.

Since then, there has been speculation about who will be the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra — Eknath Shinde or Devendra Fadnavis. What fueled the rumours of a possible stalemate was Shinde’s sudden ‘ill health’ and subsequent decision to head to his native village soon after meeting with top leadership in Delhi last week.

Appearing before the media after a gap of two days on December 1, Shinde pitched for his return to the top post in Maharashtra saying that people wanted him back as the chief minister since he worked for them in his tenure since 2022.Shinde however, reiterated that his party would support the decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Some media reports suggested that Shinde was interested in Home Ministry in the new Mahayuti government, something that BJP would not part with. Fadnavis, the deputy chief minister in the outgoing government, had held the Home Ministry portfolio.

Why BJP needs Shinde?

BJP leader Girish Mahajan met with Maharashtra's caretaker Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, on December 2. Shinde, who had been unwell with a throat infection and fever, is reportedly recovering.

Ideally BJP, with 132 seats on its own, would be comfortably placed in the government with Ajit Pawar’s 41 seats. The majority mark in the 288-member Maharashtra house is 145. Yet the BJP cannot afford to not have Shinde on board. This is primarily because the saffron party has its eyes on upcoming BMC elections. The objective is to weaken Uddhav Thackeray further in the civic body polls.

“Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena faction won 20 seats in the assembly election. Of these 10 are from Mumbai. BJP needs Shinde to diminish Uddhav in the BMC polls,” said a political observer.

Ladki Bahin Yojana - Game Changer

In June 2022 during political turmoil in Maharashtra, the BJP took a surprising decision and picked Eknath Shinde as the chief minister of Maharashtra.

The decision came after Shinde spearheaded a coup of sorts for the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government by rebelling. Since then, Shinde has grown in stature and emerged as a Maratha leader.

“By helping delay the process of government formation, Shinde may also be using the situation to position himself as the tallest Maratha leader, after Sharad Pawar , that the BJP is going out of its way to woo – and cannot do without,” wrote author Neerja Chowdhury in Indian Express.

One of the reasons cited for Mahayuti's thumping victory in elections was the Ladki Bahin Yojana cash scheme for woman. Shinde is often being credited for the scheme.

A crucial meeting of newly-elected BJP MLAs is scheduled for December 4 at the Vidhan Bhawan in south Mumbai. The next CM will be announced after the meeting, according to reports.