Uncertainty ends, Devendra Fadnavis to be sworn in as Maharashtra CM on December 5

Shinde and Ajit Pawar set to join govt.; No clarity on appointment of Ministers; PM, Union Ministers to attend swearing-in at Azad Maidan; Fadnavis says allies will work together to provide ‘the best government for Maharashtra’.

Ending days of speculation over Maharashtra’s next Chief Minister, Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan on Wednesday (December 4, 2024) invited BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and his party-led Mahayuti alliance to form the next government on Thursday (December 5, 2024). This invitation came just hours after Mr. Fadnavis, 54, was unanimously elected the Maharashtra BJP Legislature Party leader, paving the way for his swearing-in as the Chief Minister for a third time.

The ceremony will take place at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai at 5.30 p.m. on Thursday (December 5, 2024). It will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Union Ministers, besides Chief Ministers of States ruled by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

The BJP’s core committee chose Mr. Fadnavis as its legislature party leader in the presence of the party’s central observers, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Gujarat’s former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Later, Mr. Fadnavis, along with outgoing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and their colleague in the alliance, NCP president Ajit Pawar, held a meeting at Varsha, the official residence of the Chief Minister. Then they went to the Raj Bhavan to meet the Governor to stake claim to form the next government.

Also read: Maharashtra government formation LIVE: Devendra Fadnavis set to be CM

In the November 20 Assembly election, the BJP secured a record 132 seats out of 288, marking its best performance in Maharashtra. The Mahayuti coalition of the BJP, Mr. Shinde’s Shiv Sena and the NCP now command a 230-seat majority in the Assembly.

United front

Speaking at the Raj Bhavan after accepting Mr. Radhakrishnan’s invitation, Mr. Fadnavis downplayed the importance of titles, stating, “Chief Minister or Deputy Chief Minister is just a technical arrangement. The three of us — myself, Mr. Shinde, and Mr. Pawar — will work together and make joint decisions, as we have done so far.” This comes amid speculation that Mr. Shinde was upset over being denied a second term.

“I and two Deputy Chief Ministers will take oath on December 5. It is yet to be decided how many Ministers will take oath… details will be announced later in the evening,” he said. “I met Mr. Shinde yesterday [Tuesday] and requested him to be part of the government. Shiv Sena MLAs also support this collective leadership. Together, we will work to provide the best government for Maharashtra and fulfil all our promises,” Mr. Fadnavis said.

Asked if he would take the oath as the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Shinde, who headed the Mahayuti government from July 2022, said, “That will be revealed soon.” However, Mr. Pawar quickly interjected, saying he was going to take the oath (as Deputy CM), drawing a burst of laughter from both the leaders and journalists present.

To which Mr. Shinde responded by saying, “Dada (Mr. Pawar) has experience. He can take oath in the morning as well as in the evening,” apparently referring to Mr. Pawar’s early morning oath-taking as Mr. Fadnavis’s deputy when the BJP and an NCP faction led by him formed a short-lived government in 2019.

Mr. Shinde pledged his full support for Mr. Fadnavis, stressing the spirit of teamwork and collective decision-making. “Two-and-a-half years ago, Devendraji gave a letter to the Governor supporting my candidature as Chief Minister. Today, I have done the same for him,” Mr. Shinde said.

Reaffirming Shiv Sena’s commitment to the BJP-led alliance, he added, “I had earlier stated that the Shiv Sena will fully support any decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and J.P. Nadda. Our sole focus has always been on delivering what is best for the people of Maharashtra.”

“We have worked together on development and welfare schemes. What matters most is not what I received, but what the people of Maharashtra gained from our efforts. Now our responsibility has grown because of the huge mandate,” the Shiv Sena president added. Mr. Pawar also said that the new government would function unitedly.

Earlier, speaking at the BJP Legislature Party meeting, Mr. Fadnavis underscored the challenges facing the new government, stating that the real test lay in meeting public expectations. “Our responsibility has increased. We need to work harder. The struggle ahead is about fulfilling the expectations people have from us. We must work in tandem with our allies to achieve this,” he said.

Mr. Fadnavis said that while the BJP had the people’s mandate in 2019, it was “taken away”, referring to Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena breaking ties with the BJP over the Chief Minister’s post and forming a government with the Congress and the undivided NCP. “For the first two-and-a-half years, the Opposition targeted us, but not a single MLA left us. We regained power in 2022 and have now secured a resounding victory in this election,” he said.

Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Fadnavis added, “I thank the Prime Minister for entrusting someone like me, a booth-level worker, to serve as Chief Minister, not just once, but thrice. Ek hain to safe hai, aur Modi hain to mumkin hai” (If we are together, we are safe; and anything can be achieved under Modi)

‘Cong. stalled projects’

Ms. Sitharaman on Wednesday (December 3, 2024) accused the “past Congress-led government” of stalling key infrastructure projects in Maharashtra, including the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project and the Mumbai Metro car shed in Aarey Colony. “The decision of the 14 crore people of Maharashtra sends a message to the rest of the country. This is not just a regular Assembly election. After the Lok Sabha election, the results of Haryana and Maharashtra have made the people’s decision clear. This unexpected victory is a significant step towards ‘Viksit Bharat’.”

She also said that the electorates were frustrated with the uncertainty of the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government. “We will make Maharashtra the No. 1 State in the country,” she concluded with the slogan “hum ek hai toh safe hai”.

Published - December 04, 2024 01:44 pm IST