Maharashtra Election Result: Two days after the Mahayuti alliance scripted a historic victory in Maharashtra assembly elections, the suspense over the state's next chief minister continues. The Mahayuti alliance won 235 seats in the 288-member House.
The result declared on November 23 has unleashed a contest for the CM pick within alliance partners. It will either be Shiv Sena (Shinde) chief Eknath Shinde or Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis.
Shinde, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar – the three top alliance leaders – are meeting Home Minister Amit Shah, according to sources.
Shinde is the incumbent chief minister. Fadnavis' BJP led the Mahayuti's victory by winning 132 seats – the highest among all allies. Shinde Sena won 57 seats and Ajit Pawar-led NCP won 41 seats in the election.
Fadnavis is the most prominent BJP face in the state who enjoys the confidence of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of the BJP. He is also favoured by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
The RSS is likely to back Fadnavis to become the chief minister of Maharashtra after the Mahayuti alliance's emphatic election victory. Not just because of his proximity to the RSS but also due to BJP's best-ever performance in the elections by emerging as the single-largest party.
“The RSS’s concern is that Maharashtra, with such a massive mandate now, should have an able administrator and visionary who can lead the state with a firm hand,” Indian Express quoted an anonymous RSS leader in a report.
The BJP was reduced to nine seats from 23 that it won in 2019 Lok Sabha in Maharashtra. Fadnavis, who is considered close to the RSS, reportedly sought Sangh's help to counter the oppostion Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) narrative on caste census and ‘save Constitution.’
The RSS pitched in and got involved on ground in Maharashtra after the Lok Sabha debacle. The Sangh organised a conclave in Mumbai, which was attended by BJP leaders including Fadnavis. Overall, the RSS convened 60,000 small meetings in the state and mobilised the BJP voters to come out and vote.
Also, the RSS, through special 65 friendly organisations, launched a campaign called 'Sajag Raho' - be vigilant, be awake’, bolstering BJP's push in the assembly polls and counter the opposition narrative.
The RSS support helped the BJP do well in Vidarbha and Marathawada regions of Maharashtra this election.
