Advantage Fadnavis? Ajit Pawar Ready To Throw His Weight Behind BJP Leader, Say Sources

The BJP won 132 seats in the recent assembly elections, Shiv Sena and NCP emerged victorious on 57 and 41 seats, respectively.

New Delhi:Amid the suspence on who is going to be the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar is likely to throw his weight behind Devendra Fadnavis, clearing hurdles from Eknath Shinde-led Sena and making the the BJP leader a popular choice for the top post.The Ajit Pawar-led NCP, according to sources, may support Fadnavis for the CM's post, tilting the scales in favour of the BJP.

The BJP may announce observers for maharstra till evening on Tuesday. Both the BJP and Nationalist Congress Party(Ajit Pawar) factions have won sufficient numbers to form the government without Eknath Shinde’s support. The BJP won 132 seats in the recent assembly elections, Shiv Sena and NCP emerged victorious on 57 and 41 seats, respectively.

At a time when speculation is rife whether the CM post will be shared between the BJP and Shiv Sena, the two main constituents of the Mahayuti alliance, which swept the Assembly polls 2024, Deputy CM Fadnavis met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi over the government formation in the state.

Meanwhile, Shinde tendered his resignation from the Chief Ninister’s post and the governor advised him to continue as caretaker CM until the swearing-in ceremony of the new government. Sources said that the Maharashtra BJP chief is expected to hold a meeting with the party’s central leaders over the government formation. CM Shinde and Ajit Pawar are also likely to leave for Delhi to participate in the meeting with the Home Minister.

Earlier, Pawar has been selected as the floor leader of NCP in the new Assembly and Eknath Shinde the floor leader of Shiv Sena. Pawar has also said that the swearing-in ceremony will be taken up as early as possible.

However, Union Minister and Republican Party of India-Athawale (RPI-A) chief Ramdas Athawale on Monday claimed that Deputy CM Fadnavis is poised to become the next Chief Minister of the state with support from Ajit Pawar.

After meeting Fadnavis at his residence, Athawale said the decision on the Chief Minister's post would be finalised within the next two to three days. Meanwhile, the NCP Ajit group leaders came forward with the demand that a formula should be drawn to share the post of Chief Minister for 2-2-1 years instead of two and a half years.

The senior BJP leader, MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar has rejected this formula. He has said that such a formula is not possible in any method. The senior leaders of the three parties and the senior leaders of the BJP in Delhi will come together and take a decision regarding the post of Chief Minister, he said, adding that there is no dispute about this.