Fadnavis ‘firm’ on resignation; Bhupendra Yadav Maharashtra Assembly polls in charge

Known as a task master with no-nonsense approach, Yadav was BJP incharge in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections. A lawyer, he is perceived as a close confidant of both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Sources in the BJP said, “Fadnavis is firm on stepping down from the state government. He is keen on entirely devoting his time and energy for strengthening the party.”

Fadnavis had conveyed his wish to party leaders last week in the wake of the BJP’s debacle in the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra. The executive committee of the BJP, however, adopted a resolution rejecting his offer.

With Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) claiming to retain their pre-poll alliance, the BJP will have to put extra efforts to get its arithmetic right in the 288 Assembly seats in Maharashtra.

Though the state BJP has held at least three meetings to review the poll results and discuss the strategy for the Assembly polls, the in-house issues remain unaddressed.

A core committee meeting of Maharashtra BJP will be held in Delhi on Tuesday to reflect and finalise on Fadnavis’s proposal to step down.

A member of the core committee said on condition of anonymity, “Apart from discussing roles of individuals, the core committee will draw the plan for Assembly polls 2024.”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Fadnavis, state party president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, cabinet ministers Chandrakant Patil and Sudhir Mungantiwar, and Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar will attend the meeting. Bhupendra Yadav will also be part of the meeting.

According to BJP committee member, “The central leadership may give its final view on Fadnavis’ offer. There are two possibilities — either Fadnavis would be asked to continue by retaining just Home portfolio or he would be assigned 24×7 organisational work.”

While taking the responsibility for the party’s defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, Fadnavis had said, “I am not running away from challenges. I wish to take up the challenge and ensure the party returns to power with a thumping majority.”

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won only nine out of 28 seats it contested. The Mahayuti alliance — which also has Shiv Sena led by CM Eknath Shinde and NCP led by deputy CM Ajit Pawar — had secured 17 seats, while the MVA won 30 seats.

A senior BJP functionary in Maharashtra said, “Maharashtra is going to be a critical state. So, the Centre and the state will have to collectively work to ensure strong leadership along with a flawless roadmap.”

Fadnavis, then state BJP president, led the BJP to a grand victory in the 2014 Assembly polls. For the first time, the party won 122 out of the 288 seats and Fadnavis became the first BJP chief minister of Maharashtra. However, this time, the BJP will have to tackle multiple challenges before the elections.

At its internal review meeting, the party identified four issues that needs to be addressed ahead of the Assembly elections — Maratha reservation, farmers’ unrest, lack of coordination between Mahayuti constituents, consolidation of Dalit and Muslim votes in favour of MVA.

From July, the BJP plans a mammoth public outreach campaign to counter MVA’s narrative on the threat to Constitution and Maratha reservation.

On BJP gaining its lost grounds, Fadnavis had said recently, “The difference in vote share between Mahayuti and MVA is just 0.3 per cent. In terms of votes, MVA polled two lakh more votes than Mahayuti in Maharashtra.”