Devendra Fadnavis, once the face of compromise in the Bharatiya Janata Party, has now become the sole face of Maharashtra BJP. This is the third time that BJP has nominated a leader for the post of Chief Minister in Maharashtra. Fadnavis, who belongs to the Brahmin community, was made the Chief Minister for the first time in 2014.
In 2024, when BJP again came in a position to make its own Chief Minister, discussion started on many names for the post of CM, but the final seal for the post of Chief Minister was given to the name of Fadnavis.
Fadnavis, popularly known as Deva Bhau, started his career from Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. It is said about Fadnavis that he has the blessings of both Delhi and Nagpur simultaneously.
Devendra Fadnavis is the face of the agreement
In 2013, Narendra Modi was nominated for the post of Prime Minister by BJP. After this, reshuffle work started on a large scale in the organization. In this series, BJP also decided to change the state president in Maharashtra. Lobbying intensified for the new president.
At that time, Nitin Gadkari and Gopinath Munde group was dominating the politics of Maharashtra. Gadkari wants Sudhir Mungtiwar and Munde to make Eknath Khadse the president. It is said that rejecting the claims of both the groups, BJP gave the post of President to Devendra Fadnavis.
Fadnavis was an MLA at that time. Being from Nagpur, he had good influence within RSS also.
Narendra in the country, Devendra in Maharashtra
A slogan became quite popular in Maharashtra after winning the 2014 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. The slogan was – Narendra in the country, Devendra in Maharashtra. BJP handed over the post of Chief Minister of Maharashtra to Devendra Fadnavis. Fadnavis was the Chief Minister from 2014 to 2019.
In 2019, BJP entered the fray putting his face forward. It also became the largest party in the Maharashtra elections, after which Fadnavis was elected the leader of the legislative party, but due to lack of majority, Fadnavis had to leave the post of CM.
Fadnavis was then made the Leader of Opposition. Fadnavis played a big role in forming the government after the rebellion of Eknath Shinde in 2022. Was made Deputy CM in Fadnavis government. He was assigned departments like Home and Finance.
Big leaders of BJP also lagged behind
When Devendra Fadnavis was elected Chief Minister for the first time, Eknath Khadse, Pankaja Munde, Nitin Gadkari and Vinod Tawde were the main contenders for the post of Chief Minister. Being a minister at the Centre, Nitin stayed in Delhi. Tawde, Munde and Khadse were made ministers in the government.
Meanwhile, Tawde became embroiled in controversies regarding his degree. Pankaja and Khadse were accused of scam. Tawde and Khadse did not get tickets in the 2019 elections. Khadse left the party. At the same time, Tawde entered Delhi politics.
Pankaja Munde was successful in getting the ticket, but could not win the election from Parli.
Took revenge from Sharad Pawar
In 2019, it was because of Sharad Pawar that Devendra Fadnavis had to leave the post of Chief Minister. Fadnavis also discussed this several times. After this, Fadnavis remained isolated for a few years, but after Shinde’s rebellion, he came to the center of Maharashtra politics.
Fadnavis completed the revenge of 2019 by breaking Sharad Pawar’s party in 2023. Because of which Ajit lost the CM chair from Fadnavis in 2019. With the help of the same Ajit, Fadnavis reached the post of CM in 2024.
After this, many BJP leaders started calling Fadnavis a bigger political Chanakya than Sharad Pawar in Maharashtra politics.
How did Devendra Fadnavis enter politics?
Fadnavis, who started his political career from Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, came into politics through councilorship. Fadnavis was then made the Mayor of Nagpur in 1997. As mayor, he gained immense popularity in Nagpur.
In the 1999 elections, BJP gave MLA ticket to Fadnavis from Nagpur West seat. Fadnavis was also successful in winning. After this he continued winning MLA from Nagpur.
In 2013 he got the responsibility of the organization. Fadnavis has held the post of Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra.