Devendra Fadnavis Next Maharashtra Chief Minister? BJPs Chandrashekhar Bawankule Responds

BJPs state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the decision on Maharashtras next chief minister will be taken by the senior BJP leaders. He said he did not have any powers to decide who would occupy the top post in the state.

A day after BJP workers chanted Devendra Fadnavis's name when he asked them who should be Maharashtra's next chief minister, the party's state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Tuesday said the decision on the CM's post will only be taken by the senior BJP leaders. He said that he did not have any powers to decide who would occupy the top post in the state.

Senior Leaders Will Decide

"The decision about the next chief minister will be taken by the senior leaders of the party. I do not have any right to decide that. The issue can also be discussed among current Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar," he told reporters.

BJP Workers' Demand

On Monday, speaking at a party rally in Bhandara, Bawankule asked the workers who should take oath as the next CM at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The workers said, "Devendra Fadnavis...Devendra Fadnavis." Bawankule then said, "Party workers must work hard to realize this dream."

Political Turmoil in Maharashtra

A rebellion by Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde in June last year brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, following which a government led by Shinde was formed with BJP leader Fadnavis as deputy CM. Fadnavis was the state's chief minister between 2014 and 2019. In July 2023, NCP leader Ajit Pawar also joined the Shinde government as a second deputy chief minister.

The decision on who will be the next chief minister of Maharashtra is a topic of much speculation and debate. With the state BJP chief saying that the decision will be made by senior leaders, it seems that the suspense will continue for some time.