Devendra Fadnavis is set to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on December 5, following his unanimous election as the leader of the BJP legislature party at a meeting held in Mumbai on Wednesday. The ceremony will take place on Thursday at Azad Maidan in Mumbai, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the event.
Fadnavis’s selection for the top post was finalized during a BJP core committee meeting, which took place ahead of the legislature party’s conference. Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, and Devendra Fadnavis were present in the core committee discussions. Sitharaman and Rupani were appointed as central observers for the Maharashtra Legislature party meeting.
Before the meeting, BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar announced that the Mahayuti alliance partners would meet Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan at 3:30 PM on Wednesday to formally stake a claim to form the government in the state.
In the lead-up to the swearing-in, Fadnavis met with caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at his official residence, ‘Varsha,’ in Mumbai, marking the first in-person meeting between the two since their discussions in Delhi the previous week regarding government formation. While the specifics of the hour-long meeting have not been revealed, some political observers see it as an effort by the BJP to engage with Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction, which is reportedly weighing its political options. Others interpret it as a preliminary discussion ahead of the December 5 ceremony.
Preparations for the swearing-in are in full swing, with nearly 2,000 VVIPs and around 40,000 supporters expected to attend. In addition to Prime Minister Modi, several Union ministers and 19 chief ministers and deputy chief ministers from various states are expected to join the ceremony. BJP leader Prasad Lad has called the event a “historic moment” for Maharashtra.
Despite the celebrations, the distribution of portfolios among the three allies could pose challenges. Some Shiv Sena leaders have indicated that, as per traditional alliance protocols, their party should receive the home portfolio if the BJP holds the Chief Minister’s post. This has sparked concerns over the smooth allocation of key roles within the coalition government.
The BJP’s strong performance in the November 20 Maharashtra elections, securing 132 out of the 288 assembly seats, marked its best-ever result in the state. With the Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar’s NCP as allies, the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition commands a substantial majority of 230 seats, ensuring its dominance in the formation of the new government.