Who Will Be Maharashtra CM? Mahayuti and MVA Fight for the Position as Election Results Count Down
With election results around the corner, Maharashtra has been abuzz with the battle for the top position of Chief Minister, both among alliances Mahayuti and the Maha Vikas Aghadi, when rows in the inner circle have surfaced even before the counting begins. Now, the heavyweights are already staking claims for the coveted CM position.
The Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP combine, known as the MVA alliance, is clearly of the opinion that they would be the one forming the next government, though each fraction claims its own set of CM favorites. Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Shirsat was seen strongly speaking in favor of current Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, claiming that people had been voting for Shinde in the election, and it was his turn. His remarks align with Shiv Sena’s agenda of supporting Shinde's leadership, further intensifying the internal dynamics of the MVA alliance.
BJP's Pravin Darekar, on the other hand, refused to budge on his support for party's deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis for CM position in case of Mahayuti 'alliance' (BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP) win the elections. Fadnavis, who was one of the prominent face of the party in Maharashtra, have been appearing throughout the election in BJP hoardings. Not mentioning the name of the Chief Minister candidate, the high profile BJP support given to Fadnavis is an indication of its readiness for his leadership.
However, the NCP's Amol Mitkari has made his weigh known behind Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, NCP chief, which is one of the main contenders from his party. The position of the kingmaker in the coalition that Pawar holds assumes critical importance in CM race. NCP is expected to play a decisive role in forming the next government.
In case of an MVA victory, Congress party's Nana Patole put out a statement claiming he was eligible for the CM position; however, his bold assertion was soon withdrawn. Patole took the U-turn saying the ultimate authority would lie with the Congress High Command. His public u-turn was after criticism from Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut where he sought to know whether Patole had taken leave from Congress leadership in advance to make the claim.
The internal disagreements within both alliances prove that the state of Maharashtra's politics is as uncertain and complicated as it gets. With the vote counting so near, it only remains to be seen who will finally be the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra, with major players from both Mahayuti and MVA alliances still engaged in in-depth battles for power in the state.
This will be an interesting test of political machinations for the Maharashtra CM race with potential coalitions, internal strife, and contrasting opinions from key figures within both alliances. The next few days will decide who ends up running one of India's most influential states in the upcoming term.