In a significant announcement on Monday, BJP leader and former minister Sudhir Mungantiwar confirmed that Devendra Fadnavis will be the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Mungantiwar expressed confidence that the decision would be finalized in the upcoming legislative party meeting, adding that there would be no surprises in the process.
“I firmly believe that Devendra Fadnavis will be the next CM. The decision will be taken during the legislative party meeting, and the BJP will ensure everything is in place without any surprises,” Mungantiwar said.
Addressing concerns about the party’s internal dynamics, Mungantiwar reassured that Eknath Shinde, the outgoing CM, was not upset with the decision. “If a person expresses their preference for a department, it does not mean they are angry. Shinde has been an essential part of the government, and he will continue to be respected. He will remain an important figure in the government, and his contributions will be acknowledged,” Mungantiwar added.
Mungantiwar also hinted at a grand swearing-in ceremony scheduled for December 5.
The news comes after another senior BJP leader revealed that Fadnavis’s name had already been finalized as Maharashtra’s new CM. A meeting to elect him as the BJP’s legislature party leader is expected to take place either on December 2 or 3.
Outgoing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had earlier expressed his support for the BJP’s decision, signaling no opposition to the leadership change. Shinde, who has been navigating discussions about his own faction’s influence, mentioned that the Mahayuti allies—BJP, NCP, and Shiv Sena—would come to a consensus on government formation after deliberating together.
Despite Shinde’s support, there has been speculation regarding the positions his allies, particularly Shiv Sena, expect in the new government. While some voices within Shiv Sena have expressed interest in key portfolios, including the Home department, Shinde has maintained that the unity of the Mahayuti alliance remains paramount.
The newly-formed Mahayuti coalition had a strong showing in the recent elections, securing 230 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly. However, the BJP, which emerged as the largest party with 132 seats, is still working through the fine details of power-sharing with its allies.
The swearing-in ceremony for the new government is scheduled for December 5 at Azad Maidan in Mumbai, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend. Despite the overwhelming victory, some BJP leaders, like former Union Minister Raosaheb Danve, have expressed that the alliance’s potential could have been greater had the undivided Shiv Sena and BJP contested the elections together.
With the Mahayuti government poised to take charge, the political landscape in Maharashtra is set for a new chapter.