Current Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde with Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Mumbai: What would be the formula for deciding the new Maharashtra chief minister for the Maha Yuti or Maha Vikas Aghadi - numbers, strike rate or secret commitments?
Another key question has emerged: whether Maharashtra could witness more realignments?
In the last three decades, no political party has been able to achieve the halfway mark of 145 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly - required to form a government on its own.
Both the mega-alliances have kept the cards close to their chests - but the six big parties involving the two alliances - have started projecting their leaders as the new CM, complicating the situation even before the mandate comes.
The issue is complex for the BJP-led Maha Yuti which involves the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP and equally complicated for the Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising Congress, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar-headed NCP (SP).
The BJP, during the June-July 2022 uprising in Shiv Sena, made Shinde the chief minister despite having more numbers. On the other hand, when Ajit Pawar joined the ruling front after the June-July 2023 rebellion in NCP, he too reportedly received assurances of the top post.
Now, the BJP leadership is not keen to offer the CM’s job to an ally if its numbers are more. However, what arithmetic emerges, needs to be seen.
The BJP ranks and files want deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is a former two-time chief minister and ex-leader of the opposition to be the new CM.
However, state BJP president Chandrashekar Bawankule said: “The BJP workers want Fadnavis to be the chief minister and similarly the Shiv Sena feels it should be Shinde or for that matter NCP workers want Ajit Pawar as chief minister…once the results are out the BJP high command and the leadership of the other parties would take a call.”
“I think if anyone from the BJP is becoming the CM then it will be Fadnavis,” said BJP MLC Pravin Darekar.
On the other hand, NCP MLC Amol Mitkari pitched for Ajit Pawar as the CM. “Whatever the results, the NCP will be the kingmaker,” Mitkari said.
As far as Maha Vikas Aghadi is concerned, the NCP (SP) preferred not to touch upon the subject at this stage and wait for the outcome, however, Shiv Sena (UBT) seems to be locking horns with the Congress.
“The Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance would form the government. The three parties will sit together and decide on the CM,” said Congress general secretary Ramesh Chennithala, who is party’s in-charge for Maharashtra and is in regular touch with Thackeray and Sharad Pawar.
"There is no formula for the CM's post. Everyone will choose the leader of the government," said Sanjay Raut, a close aide of Thackeray.
It may be mentioned, before the polls, Thackeray was pitching for a CM face irrespective of whichever the party.
Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP will be going up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress try to make their mark. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faces a new challenge after Hemant Soren's recent arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP. The Haryana election resulted in a shock loss for Congress, which was looking to galvanize on the Lok Sabha poll performance, while J&K also saw the grand old party eventually stepping away from the cabinet, with Omar Abdullah's JKNC forming government. It remains to be seen if the upcoming polls help BJP cement its position further or provide a fillip to I.N.D.I.A. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.
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