Incumbent Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was re-elected on Wednesday as the leader of the state BJP legislature party. The announcement came amid high political drama between alliance partners, the BJP and the Shiv Sena.
All the 105 newly elected BJP MLAs were present at the meeting which was held at the Vidhan Bhawan in south Mumbai. After his election, Fadnavis thanked party MLAs for reposing faith in him and added that the BJP will form the government with Shiv Sena in the state.
He said, “this mandate is for Mahayuti. No one should have any doubt that the next government will be that of Mahayuti. Do not believe in rumours.”
At present, there is a high-pitched tussle that’s going on between the BJP and Shiv Sena for seat share and government formation.
Earlier, Fadnavis had said that the Shiv Sena was not promised the CM’s post when the alliance was formalised before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and asserted that he will remain the CM for the next five years.
On the contrary, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has been claiming that the 50:50 formula on sharing of power was ‘agreed upon’ between himself, Shah and Fadnavis ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
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The BJP won 105 seats and the Shiv Sena won 56 seats in the 288 strong member state assembly.
With the announcement of Devendra Fadnavis as the leader of the legislative party, BJP has taken its first step towards government formation in Maharashtra.