A day after the Mahayuti was swept back to power in a landslide in Maharashtra, the ruling alliance partners were under pressure to take a call on who should be the next Chief Minister.

The BJP, which spearheaded the Mahayuti return by securing 132 of its 230-seat tally in the Maharashtra House of 288, maintained a studious silence but came under pressure from its MLAs who called for a CM from the party, many among them rooting for Devendra Fadnavis, currently the Deputy Chief Minister.

A senior state BJP leader said the party wants to ensure “a hurdle-free government formation process including the appointment of the CM” along with its partners Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde and the NCP under Ajit Pawar.

Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, “A decision on the CM will be taken by party Central leaders and the BJP parliamentary board. There will be adequate consultation with alliance partners.”

Partner Shiv Sena does not seem to have given up its hope of the Mahayuti retaining Shinde as the CM.

Hoping Shinde continues as CM, a leader from his camp said, “Mahayuti fought the Assembly election under the leadership of Eknath Shinde and achieved a historic mandate. So, the alliance should decide to continue with him as Chief Minister.”

The Shiv Sena is set to hold its legislature party meeting later Sunday evening to appoint its leader.

On the other hand, the NCP, which convened a legislature party meeting and appointed Ajit Pawar as its leader, indicated that it would have no objection to Fadnavis becoming CM.

Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal said, “If BJP makes Fadnavis the CM, we will support. We have no objection.”

The BJP does not want to rush the decision-making without consensus and for that, it has enough time.

Anant Kalse, former Principal Secretary of the state legislature secretariat, said the 15th State Legislative Assembly should be formed by November 26.

“The CM will resign and the BJP-led Mahayuti will stake claim for government formation. Once the elected new Legislative Assembly is formed, the majority party (Mahayuti) can take time for (choosing the) CM and composition of the Cabinet. In such a case, the Governor can ask Eknath Shinde to continue as caretaker CM until then,” he said.

Besides the elected members, the RSS, which played a proactive role in mobilising support for the BJP in the run-up to the elections, is supporting the candidature of Fadnavis for the CM post.

A senior RSS functionary said, “Generally, the RSS does not indulge in political interference. At times it only conveys its views on issues regarding welfare of the state or nation. In that sense, it has given a subtle message that a BJP CM with strong administrative capability and vision for Maharashtra would be appropriate at this challenging time. The RSS believes Fadnavis with administrative experience (2014-2019) as CM in the first term had taken good decisions for Maharashtra. Secondly, RSS officials are of the view that a BJP CM would prove helpful as it shares common ideology,” he said.

Fadnavis has described the RSS as the ideological mentor and power house of BJP. After the losses in the Lok Sabha elections in the state, he had held half a dozen meetings with RSS leaders, seeking their help to counter the Opposition narrative in the countdown to the Assembly polls.

In an interview to The Indian Express, Fadnavis had said, “We appealed to organisations following the ideology of RSS that if you don’t want to get into politics, it is fine. But you will have to come forward to counter the Opposition’s narrative.”

Within the BJP, there is a strong view that Fadnavis deserves to be rewarded now. With such a huge mandate – the BJP is just 13 short of majority on its own – the party, insiders say, should not surrender its interests.

Senior BJP leader Pravin Darekar said, “Everybody believes Fadnavis should become CM.” He is one leader who has worked for the government as Deputy CM and ensured the grand victory of the Mahayuti, Darekar said.

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