Maharashtra Elections 2024: Devendra Fadnavis or Eknath Shinde, who is the frontrunner for the CM post from Mahayuti?

The BJP-led Mahayuti is heading towards a thumping victory in Maharashtra as the alliance is set to win around 218 seats while the Maha Vikas Aghadi is leading on 54 votes. 

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis emerged as the star of the show as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti moved towards registering a thumping victory in the Assembly elections 2024.  

While there is no confirmation on the next CM face from the Mahayuti alliance, which comprises Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) and NCP (Ajit Pawar), Fadnavis’s name is at the top of the list in the speculation. 

Fadnavis is comfortably set for victory in Nagpur South West, while Eknath Shinde holds command in the Kopri-Pachpakhadi constituency.  

As the counting continues, BJP is seen leading in 124 of the 149 seats it contested which translates to an astounding strike rate of 83%. 

Fadnavis led from the front in his attempt to consolidate the Hindu votes, citing the example of the Dhule Lok Sabha seat that BJP lost due to overwhelming voting for Congress. He warned voters, “Batenge toh Katenge”. The results show the consolidation of Hindu votes. 

The results prove that people have accepted Eknath Shinde as the true inheritor of Bal Thackeray’s legacy, and the CM has emerged as a strong Maratha leader himself. Shinde’s Sena contested 81 seats and is leading in 55, which is a strike rate of 81%. 

Shinde’s Ladki Bahin Yojana has been hailed as a gamechanger and helped win over women voters. 

Following the stellar performance Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Fadnavis, along with CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Fadnavis also met Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule. 

Earlier this month, Home Minister Amit Shah said that the decision on who would be the chief minister will be made by the Mahayuti partners after the Maharashtra elections. “At present, Eknath Shinde is the Chief Minister. After the elections, all the three alliance partners will decide on the CM post,” Shah said on November 10. 

Maharashtra Legislative Council member Prasad Lal told CNN-News18, “Everyone will be together. It will be Mahayuti govt for sure. Let’s wait till tomorrow, but I believe that Devendra Fadnavis will be the CM.” 

Fadnavis served as Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 2014 to 2019. After Shiv Sena formed an alliance with Congress and NCP in 2019, he stepped down from the post. Fadnavis became deputy CM in 2022 when BJP formed the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra after forming an alliance with Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) and NCP (Ajit Pawar).