Devendra Fadnavis to Return as Maharashtra CM for Historic Third Term

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is set to take oath as Maharashtra’s Chief Minister for a third term on December 5 at Azad Maidan, Mumbai. This follows a critical consensus during the BJP core committee meeting, ending weeks of suspense over leadership. Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, serving as the party’s observer, proposed Fadnavis’s name, which senior leaders, including Sudhir Mungantiwar and Pankaja Munde seconded. The swearing-in ceremony will also witness Eknath Shinde of Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar of NCP assuming deputy chief minister roles, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in attendance.

The decision comes after the Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), won a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, securing 232 of 288 seats. Despite the mandate, power-sharing negotiations created an impasse, as Shinde initially resisted stepping down as CM. However, his recent statement pledging unity under the leadership of PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah resolved the stalemate, paving the way for Fadnavis’s return.

Fadnavis, recognized as the architect of the BJP’s electoral success in Maharashtra, played a key role in securing 132 of the 149 seats contested by the party. Backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), his leadership strengthens the BJP’s dominance in the state. This marks a significant shift in Maharashtra’s political landscape, reaffirming Fadnavis’s stature as a pivotal figure in state politics.

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