Maharashtra: Devendra Fadnavis to be BJP’s chief ministerial candidate for upcoming state Assembly elections

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After success in Maharashtra in the recent Lok Sabha election, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will be BJP’s chief ministerial candidate for upcoming state Assembly elections.

At the BJP’s core committee meeting held in New Delhi on Sunday, Maharashtra’s roadmap for the Assembly elections complete with changes in the state BJP and Cabinet was discussed at length. The BJP also discussed its poll strategy with alliance partners Shiv Sena and others at the meeting, which was chaired by BJP president and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The core committee members of the state included Fadnavis, state president Raosaheb Danve, revenue minister Chandrakant Patil, rural development minister Pankaja Munde, education minister Vinod Tawde, water resources minister Girish Mahajan, city chief Ashish Shelar, organisation secretary V Satish and some other senior members.

One of the ministers present at the meeting, told Hindustan Times, “It was decided the Assembly polls will be contested as part of an alliance with the Sena. And, we will contest an equal number of seats as agreed upon earlier but this number will be arrived at after we leave some seats for our smaller allies.’’ The minister also said Shah backed Fadnavis as the party’s CM candidate for the second stint of the government and made it clear the CM’s post will stay with the party.

The Shiv Sena has demanded an equal power-sharing formula from BJP post Assembly polls as one of the conditions for a Lok Sabha tie-up, the details of this formula were not spelled out. The Shiv Sena is also likely to get deputy chief minister’s post. Another minister told the Hindustan Times, “The Sena can even be given DCM post in the cabinet expansion if it happens ahead of the monsoon session and if they demand it.’’

Earlier on Sunday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said that, in Maharashtra, BJP will work on the seats of its allies to increase their winning chances in the upcoming state elections. “In view of the Assembly elections, the Maharashtra Core Committee met BJP national president Amit Shah. The strategy for the forthcoming elections has been worked out. Our president has said to work for the allies of BJP as well,” Fadnavis told reporters.