Mumbai: The ruling ally BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule has predicted that Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will be sworn-in as the next CM at the Wankhede Stadium in 2024.
Addressing a party workers’ meeting at Lakhni in Bhandara, he asked, “Who will be next CM of Maharashtra?” (after the Assembly elections), and the crowd roared ‘Fadnavis, Fadnavis’, cheering and clapping. Taking a swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, he said that “there is only one tiger in Maharashtra, and that is Fadnavis”. The meeting was held after the BJP bagged victory in three states – Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Bawankule's Three Commitments To BJP Workers
At the gathering, Bawankule asked party activists to make three commitments for the next year. The first, to elect 45 MPs from Maharashtra to ensure Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third tenure. Second, working to ensure that Fadnavis is sworn-in as the CM of the ruling MahaYuti alliance. Third, to dedicatedly work for any official BJP candidate in the upcoming municipal corporation/council and other civic elections and ensure their victory with huge votes. He asked all BJP workers to spare three hours daily for the next 13 months to achieve the triple objectives.
NCP Claims Ajit Pawar To Be Next CM
Right after Bawankule’s claim, the spokesperson of Ajit Pawar-led NCP Amol Mitkari claimed that his party chief will become the CM in 2024. As the news spread, MLA Sanjay Shirsat of the Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena said that no one should throw a stone in the grand alliance or there will be no reconciliation between the three parties in the near future. In fact, Fadnavis has earlier batted for Shinde and said that there is no question regarding his not continuing as the CM.
Currently, under the leadership of Modi, the BJP is in a strong position across the country. Several senior BJP leaders have indicated their disagreement to run the government under Shinde’s leadership but have remained silent owing to the decision taken but the central leadership.
