Ajit Pawar backs Devendra Fadnavis for Maharashtra Chief Minister: Sources

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has expressed support for his fellow Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis to become the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra, sources told India Today TV on Monday.  

Pawar held a meeting with newly-elected legislators from his faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) at his residence on Sunday, where the Chief Ministerial post was discussed.  

This development follows claims by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who, as per sources, staked his own claim to the post on Saturday. Shinde credited the "Ladli Behna" scheme — which he described as a key factor behind the Mahayuti alliance's electoral success in Maharashtra — as his initiative.  

The BJP emerged as the dominant force in the state elections, winning 132 of the 149 seats it contested. The Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) secured 57 seats, while Ajit Pawar's NCP won 41. Together, the Mahayuti alliance secured 234 seats. In contrast, the opposition struggled, with the Congress winning 16 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) 20, and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP 10.  

The final decision on Maharashtra's next Chief Minister will be made after a joint meeting of senior leaders from the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar’s NCP, and the BJP high command.  

Friction Between Pawar and Shinde  

The relationship between Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde has been strained since the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in 2019, which included the then-undivided Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress.

Sources suggest that tensions arose during Uddhav Thackeray's tenure as Chief Minister, as he delegated significant administrative powers to Ajit Pawar while spending limited time at Mantralaya. This reportedly sidelined Eknath Shinde, leading to his eventual split from the Shiv Sena in 2022 and the formation of a new government with the BJP. Shinde's initial unease reportedly resurfaced when the BJP inducted Ajit Pawar into the Mahayuti alliance earlier this year.