The change of guard in Maharashtra BJP was necessitated following the induction of outgoing party president Chandrakant Patil in the Cabinet led by Eknath Shinde.

Bawankule was serving as the general secretary in the state organisation. The party’s decision to pick him for the coveted post was to expand and consolidate its outreach within the OBC. Bawankule belongs to the Teli community, which comes under the OBC category.

Earlier, Bawankule served as the energy minister during Fadnavis’s tenure and was lauded for his work. When OBC reservation was scrapped, Bawankule relentlessly pursued the issue and raised questions.

Bawankule’s selection as the state party president was to project OBC leadership. He belongs to the Teli community (OBC). Born in Kamptee in Vidarbha, Bawankule’s political rise has been steady. From a member of the students’ wing to an MLA, a minister and the general secretary of the party. Finally, he made it to the state president’s post.