Maharashtra Elections: Ajit Pawar as CM? Posters in Pune fuel speculation on Mahayuti’s top pick, taken down later

Maharashtra Elections: In Pune, posters depicting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar as the next CM face of the state have caused a stir. The poster has now been taken down.

As Maharashtra gears up for counting of votes for the 288-seat assembly on November 23, the political landscape is already rife with speculation over the next Chief Minister. 

Both the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) are laying claim to victory, with each bloc pushing its leaders for the state’s top job.

Maharashtra Elections: Who is Mahayuti's CM Face?

Fissures have surfaced within the ruling Mahayuti alliance regarding the Chief Ministerial candidate. 

Shiv Sena MLA and spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat firmly advocated for incumbent CM Eknath Shinde, stating, “Voters have shown their preference for Shinde through voting. I think it is Shinde’s right to be the next CM.” Shinde, the face of the alliance during the election campaign, makes him a strong contender.

However, the BJP appears to have a different perspective. Senior BJP leader Pravin Darekar suggested that Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis could reclaim the Chief Minister’s position. 

“If anyone from the BJP is becoming the CM, then it will be Devendra Fadnavis,” Darekar asserted, further highlighting the internal competition for the top post within Mahayuti.

Stirring the pot further, NCP leader Amol Mitkari proposed Deputy CM Ajit Pawar as a potential Chief Minister. 

Mitkari claimed, “Whatever the results, the NCP will be the kingmaker.” Pawar, who joined the Mahayuti government after splitting from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP in July 2023, has been viewed as a "CM in waiting" for decades.

Ajit Pawar: The Kingmaker?

Ajit Pawar’s ambitions have long been in the spotlight. Often referred to as a “CM in waiting” since 2004, Pawar has served as Deputy CM of Maharashtra four times throughout his political career.

Ajit Pawar's chances of claiming the top post depend on the NCP securing a significant number of seats within the Mahayuti alliance. Even though the posters in Pune projecting him as the next CM were promptly removed, they underscored his growing aspirations.

Ajit Pawar’s rise within Mahayuti followed his defection from Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction. In a dramatic turn of events, the Election Commission awarded Ajit Pawar’s faction the official NCP name and the clock symbol, consolidating his political position.

Maharashtra Elections: Opposition MVA Eyes CM Post

On the opposition front, the MVA—comprising Congress, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction), and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction)— remains hopeful of a mandate in their favour. However, internal discord over the Chief Ministerial candidate persists.

Uddhav Thackeray, whose Shiv Sena faction is the most vocal against the BJP, is being floated as a potential CM candidate. Thackeray’s tenure as CM during the initial MVA government was marked by challenges, including the pandemic and the Antilia bomb scare case.

Congress, buoyed by its performance in the Lok Sabha elections, is also pushing for a share in leadership, with state chief Nana Patole among the contenders.

Maharashtra Elections: Increased Voter Turnout Affecting Poll Dynamics?

The Election Commission reported a voter turnout of 66.05 per cent, a notable increase from 61.1 per cent in 2019, reflecting heightened public engagement.

All major exit polls have predicted a Mahayuti win, with Eknath Shinde emerging as the top choice for Maharashtra CM. Surprisingly, according to the exit polls, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, from the opposition MVA, has emerged as the second-most favoured candidate for the CM's chair.