Third term for Fadnavis

A new government led by Devendra Fadnavis has taken office in Maharashtra, putting an end to 11 days of uncertainty and political tension. Although the 'Mahayuti' alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP secured a resounding victory by winning 230 out of 288 seats in the elections held on November 20, the cabinet formation was delayed due to the dispute between former CM Eknath Shinde and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis over the Chief Minister's post. Eknath Shinde's refusal to give up his claim to the Chief Minister's post had raised concerns that the alliance might split, repeating the history of the previous election.

However, the situation reached a satisfactory resolution, albeit delayed, as all three alliance partners exercised maximum restraint and refrained from taking provocative stances, preventing the conflict from escalating into a major fallout. The delay in forming the cabinet was a test of patience for the voters. With an impressive performance of 132 seats, the BJP's claim to the Chief Minister's post was entirely natural. It was incumbent upon the other two alliance partners to show the political decorum and prudence to accept this claim. While acknowledging that Shinde is highly popular and a prominent figure among the current crop of leaders, it wasn't easy to dismiss the BJP's claim as the party that won the most seats. The NCP, led by Ajit Pawar, was also interested in having BJP's Fadnavis as the Chief Minister.

After days of prolonged discussions, the BJP leadership has achieved a strategic victory by resolving the obstacles in cabinet formation. Preventing Maharashtra, the country’s wealthiest state, from descending into a directionless state of power struggle is a significant political success. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other central leaders were present to witness the swearing-in of 54-year-old Devendra Fadnavis as Chief Minister. Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar also took oath as Deputy Chief Ministers. The conflict between the BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) was not limited to the Chief Minister’s post; disagreements over the allocation of portfolios also caused significant friction. Although the cabinet has assumed office, the issue of portfolio distribution remains unresolved.

From the outset, Shinde was adamant that the Home Department must be allotted to him. He presented this demand as a quid pro quo for relinquishing the Chief Minister’s position. In addition to the Home Department, the Shinde faction has sought key portfolios like Urban Development. Similarly, Ajit Pawar is eyeing the Finance Department. The coalition leadership is hopeful that the portfolio allocation can be finalized in a satisfactory manner through discussions. The major challenge before the Mahayuti coalition is to fulfil the election promises made to the people. Promises such as providing ₹1,500 per month to nearly 2.5 crore women need to be fulfilled. The government must also prioritize numerous issues faced by farmers and measures to reduce unemployment. Considering that the cabinet is led by capable leadership, there is hope that Maharashtra will once again surge towards significant progress.