Mumbai The Mahayuti alliance, which won a landslide victory over the Indian Bloc in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, has time till today to decide the face for the Chief Minister’s post, otherwise the President’s rule will prevail in the state. There is suspense over who will be the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra as Mahayuti’s allies – which include Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction and Devendra Fadnavis’s BJP – are yet to reach a consensus. However, the president’s government can be removed immediately. . The Mahayuti alliance won 232 of the 288 assembly seats, with the BJP emerging as the largest party with 132 seats, consolidating its strong position in the state. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena, could get only 49 seats.
After emerging as the largest party in the alliance, the BJP wants a Chief Minister from its own party and also has the support of Ajit Pawar. Meanwhile, Shinde Sena wants Eknath Shinde to remain the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. At the post-victory press conference, Eknath Shinde and his allies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar cited the alliance’s women-centric Ladki Behan plan as a game-changer for their landslide victory.
However, the cheerful atmosphere soon turned into tension when a dispute broke out over who would occupy the Chief Minister’s chair. Being the largest party in the alliance, the BJP has firmly claimed the prime minister’s post, citing its strong electoral performance. The party achieved an 89% strike rate, surpassing its 2014 performance, and sees the mandate as a sign of leadership.
The BJP-led government will be in tune with the party’s long-term strategy to prepare for the 2029 elections, boosting workers’ morale and ensuring administrative control. Sources suggest that the BJP leadership is in favor of Devendra Fadnavis, whose governance credentials and experience can provide stability to the alliance.
After being out of power for five years and facing setbacks due to the political developments of 2019, BJP workers are demoralized. Attaining the post of Chief Minister is considered important to strengthen the party’s base.
Eknath Shinde, who led the coalition government in the elections, sees this victory as an affirmation of his leadership. Shinde has argued that it is necessary for the Shiv Sena to retain the Chief Minister’s post to strengthen its control over MLAs and ensure policy continuity, especially with key schemes like the Laadli Behan Yojana.
Shinde has also established himself as a Maratha leader who appeals to the community, which is an important vote bank. Losing the Chief Minister’s post could reduce his authority and cause instability in the Shiv Sena faction led by him.
Maintaining the post of Chief Minister strengthens internal unity, streamlines the management of MLAs and strengthens efforts to counter opposition forces like the UBT.
Amid this dispute, Ajit Pawar has emerged as a surprising supporter of the BJP’s claim. His support is reportedly due to his desire for smooth coordination within the alliance and his personal relationship with Devendra Fadnavis.
Pawar’s preference for a BJP-led government is also seen as a strategy to balance Eknath Shinde’s growing influence and ensure a more equitable power-sharing arrangement in the alliance.
With the leadership issue looming over the Mahayuti alliance, high-level meetings are expected to be held today to resolve the impasse. The results will not only shape the immediate political landscape of Maharashtra but will also affect the stability of the alliance ahead of the 2029 general elections.
