Ravindra Chavan, a four-time MLA known for his “no questions asked” approach and ability to deliver results, was appointed as the Maharashtra BJP’s working president on Saturday, taking him a step closer to becoming the state party chief.

Union Minister and BJP national president J.P. Nadda made the announcement, with sources within the party indicating that this role is part of a larger plan for the 54-year-old Chavan to take full charge once the organizational poll process concludes.

Chavan’s Maratha heritage is seen as a strategic move to appeal to the community, which has been at the center of attention in recent years due to the quota agitation led by Manoj Jarange-Patil. As a close ally of Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, his elevation took many by surprise, especially those who had expected him to be included in the Cabinet. Speculation about his future role had grown after he was not appointed a minister while Chandrashekhar Bawankule was appointed as the state BJP president.

Bawankule has praised Chavan, calling him a dedicated and loyal party worker. “He does whatever work is assigned to him wholeheartedly and without question, making him widely accepted within the party,” Bawankule said.

Chavan’s political journey began in local body politics during his student days. He served as a corporator in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation in 2000 and was the standing committee chairperson. In 2009, he successfully contested the Assembly elections from Dombivli, a seat he has held since.

Chavan was a minister in Fadnavis’ first government from 2016 to 2019, handling key portfolios like Ports, Medical Education, IT, and Food & Civil Supplies. In the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP Mahayuti government, he held the Public Works Department portfolio between 2022 and 2024. His tenure as PWD minister was not without controversy, as Shiv Sena MLA Ramdas Kadam criticized him for the slow progress of the Mumbai-Goa highway, calling him a “useless minister.”

Chavan is considered a shrewd politician, adept at knowing when to fight and when to hold back. In December, he successfully led the party’s enrollment drive, reaching the target of enrolling 1.5 crore new members. This was a critical task for strengthening the party’s base in the state.

In his new role, Chavan will oversee the party’s efforts in the 39 Assembly seats in the Konkan region, traditionally a Shiv Sena stronghold. His elevation signals the BJP’s intent to expand in the region and sends a message to Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, who has been exerting influence in areas like Thane, Kalyan, Dombivli, and Navi Mumbai.

Chavan has also been involved in internal party matters, notably opposing the candidacy of Shrikant Shinde, the son of Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, citing the younger Shinde’s “high-handedness.”

Now, as working president, Chavan’s primary task will be to strengthen the party in the 355 talukas and 36 districts of Maharashtra, to achieve a “100% BJP” result in the 2029 Assembly elections. His role will be critical in the party’s ambition to win without relying on allies.

Chavan’s career has not been without controversy. In 2016, he faced backlash after he incorrectly invoked former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln in a speech, alluding to Modi and Fadnavis uplifting Dalits by referencing a “piglet” being cleaned from a drain. The incident went viral, and Chavan had to clarify that his speech had been edited. The NCP responded with a satirical “naming ceremony,” where a pig was named after Chavan.