NCP leader Ajit Pawar announced that the Chief Minister’s post in Maharashtra will be held by the BJP, while the two Deputy Chief Minister positions will be shared among the allied parties in the Mahayuti coalition. The decision comes after weeks of speculation and internal deliberations following the alliance’s sweeping victory in the state assembly elections.
Speaking in Pune on November 30, where he met social activist Dr. Baba Adhav, Pawar said, “The state will have one Chief Minister from the BJP and two deputies from the other two parties of Mahayuti. Tentatively, the oath-taking ceremony will take place on December 5. We have decided to move ahead with a strong vision.”
Despite the coalition’s electoral success, disagreements over cabinet portfolio allocations have delayed the finalization of the government structure. The Shiv Sena, led by the Shinde faction, has officially demanded the Home Ministry portfolio in the new cabinet, a significant departure from the previous arrangement, where the BJP retained control of the Home Ministry despite giving the Chief Minister’s position to Eknath Shinde.
BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule confirmed that the swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for December 5 at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan and will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The ceremony is set to take place at 5 PM.
The confirmation of the BJP’s leadership in the new government marks a resolution of one key issue, though negotiations over critical portfolios are ongoing. The Mahayuti alliance’s ability to balance internal power dynamics while delivering on its governance promises will be critical in shaping Maharashtra’s political future.