Maharashtra’s BJP chief is RSS-backed scholar who wants Vidarbha state

After the announcement and the immediate celebrations at his Nagpur home,Fadnavis drove to Gadkari’s home to seek his blessings. The RSS recognises Fadkari for his clean image and tenacity,apart from his loyalty — his father too had been in the RSS.

As an activist,Fadnavis has often attacked the western Maharashtra leadership for Vidarbha’s problems. “Chalet wha (leave Vidarbha),” he once said in the assembly,drawing criticism not only from the ruling parties but also from alliance partner Shiv Sena. Members reminded him the assembly was still that of a united Maharashtra; he later expressed regret. In 2010,he was part of the all-party Vidarbha Rajya Sangram Samiti.

As a scholar,he is a law graduate with a postgraduate degree in business management from Nagpur University,and a diploma in project management from Berlin. Equally articulate in English,Marathi and Hindi,he won many awards at university debates,is much sought after for media broadcasts,and has been delivering budget analysis lectures in Nagpur every year. He has travelled across the world to present papers on topics ranging from disaster management to energy security,has been on various committees of the legislature,and won the best parliamentarian award in 2002-03.

As a politician,he learnt under his late father,Gangadharrao Fadnavis,an RSS worker who represented the then Jana Sangh in the Graduates’ Constituency Maharashtra’s Legislative Council,a constituency later taken over by Gadkari. Starting from the ABVP,Devendra went on to become Nagpur’s youngest and first BJP mayor in 1997,and later the first “mayor-in-council” in the state.

Unlike Gadkari,who has never contested an election,Fadnavis has won three consecutive assembly elections,in 1999 and 2004 from West Nagpur,and in 2009 from the reconstituted Southwest Nagpur. This has been despite his Brahmin background,considered a electoral disqualification in Maharashtra’s caste-dominated politics.

Fadnavis was once known to be a Gadkari protégé,but ceased to be identified as a member of Gadkari’s close circle following the latter’s apparent reluctance to have him replace Mungantiwar.

The fact that he was chosen as a consensus president,Fadnavis said,shows there was no internal strife. “All are united at heart,” he told reporters. “There may be matbhed but there isn’t any manbhed within the party.”

He pledged to work towards uniting the opposition on burning issues,adding in reply to questions,“We would like the MNS with us but the decision will be taken by the parties’ parliamentary boards”.

He does not see the Shiv Sena’s opposition to a Vidarbha state as a disadvantage. “Just as the Sena’s pro-Maharashtra stance doesn’t make it anti-India,my pro-Vidarbha position doesn’t make me anti-Maharashtra,” he said.

Over the years,he has shed a lot of weight. His family includes wife Amruta,five-year-old daughter Girija,mother and an elder brother. His aunt Shobha Fadnavis has been a legislator from Chandrapur for several years.