Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra election results: Fadnavis wins Nagpur South West, emerges as man of the moment

Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra election results 2024: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Devendra Fadnavis won the Nagpur South-West Assembly constituency.

The results of the Maharashtra Assembly election, held on November 20, were declared on Saturday.

According to the data on the Election Commission website, Devendra Fadnavis won the Nagpur South-West Assembly poll by 39,710 votes, garnering a total of 129,401 votes, while Congress party’s Prafulla Vinodrao Gudadhe managed to get 89,691 votes.

No row over CM post, Mahayuti leaders to decide: Fadnavis

In his first reaction after the Mahayuti alliance – the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP – secured over 200 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, Fadnavis said: “Ek hai toh safe hai, Modi hai toh mumkin hai.” 

Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday denied any row over the CM's post and asserted that leaders of Mahayuti will take a call even as the counting of votes showed the saffron party-led coalition heading for a landslide victory.

He said the Maharashtra Assembly polls results show that the state supports PM Narendra Modi and thanked the women voters for giving them their mandate.

"Opposition’s efforts of propagating a fake narrative, and polarisation of voters based on religion foiled by masses," said Fadnavis.

The 54-year-old leader looks all set to occupy the state’s top post for the second time in a state dominated by Maratha politics.

Son of BJP leader late Gangadhar Fadnavis, whom his fellow Nagpur politician and former party chief Nitin Gadkari calls his “political guru,” Devendra cut his teeth in politics at a young age when he joined Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student's wing of RSS, in 1989.

At 22, he became a corporator in the Nagpur civic body and its youngest Mayor in 1997 at the age of 27.

He contested his first assembly election in 1999 and won.

Mahayuti alliance

The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is set to retain power in Maharashtra, as it could win 228 of the 288 seats in the state, leaving the Congress-Shiv Sena (UBT)-NCP (SP) tie-up with just 51 seats.

In his first reaction, after trends showed a massive victory for the Mahayuti alliance, Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde thanked voters for the victory.

While speaking to the media at his official residence, Varsha, in Mumbai, Shinde said, “All I will say is let the final figures come. After that, all three parties (BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP) will sit and discuss with seniors, and then a decision will be taken unanimously.”

On Thursday, Fadnavis had exuded confidence about the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance retaining power in the state.

He cited the increased voter turnout as a sign of public support.

Fadnavis also highlighted the impact of pro-incumbency and the Ladki Bahin scheme, which he said drew more women voters to the BJP.

"The voting percentage has increased in Maharashtra. Our experience is that when the voting percentage increases, it benefits us. So, we will get the benefit, and our government will be formed in Maharashtra. The voting percentage may have increased due to pro-incumbency. It means feeling affection for the government," Fadnavis had said.

He also highlighted the influence of specific voter groups, particularly women. "We have received information that the percentage of women voting for us has increased due to the Ladki Bahin scheme," he added.

Amid the high-stakes Assembly elections, Maharashtra recorded a 65.08 per cent voter turnout. The elections for the 288 assembly seats saw a tough contest between the ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which includes Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction).

In the 2019 Assembly elections, BJP won 105 seats, while Shiv Sena secured 56 and Congress 44.