Maharashtra State debates over its next Chief Minister ahead of 2024 Polls
Maharashtra State debates
over its next Chief Minister
ahead of 2024 Polls
The last few days have been a witness to Ministers and MLAs from the ruling alliance in Maharashtra projecting their leaders as the next CM of the state, with even Sharad Pawar chiming in.
The pre-poll pandemonium
has also not halted politicians from debating over the next Maharashtra Chief Minister.
Though premature, this month the issue has taken centre stage in the state.
Even as the Assembly elections in Maharashtra are almost a year away, however, political parties have already ventured into chalking out various
revamps and amalgamation
that could aid them achieve big in the elections likely to be held in November 2024.
On Thursday, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar debated when he said that his estranged rebel nephew Ajit Pawar’s ambition to become the chief minister would remain a dream which
will remain unrealised
Even as he did not elaborate, the remark has left wide scope for analysis as to why a politician of Sharad Pawar’s stature was so curt in his observations on a nephew who was groomed under his guidance for the last five decades.
While differences amidst the uncle and nephew after the split in the NCP are understandable, many within the Ajit Pawar-led NCP were quick to argue that if Ajit Pawar is destined to become the CM, nobody can stop it from happening.
Ironically, Sharad Pawar’s remark came at a time when his daughter and NCP working president Supriya Sule said that if Ajit Pawar became the CM, being his sister, she would be the first person to garland him. It was when the media raised this observation before Sharad Pawar that he delivered his rebuke.
Political managers within the Sharad Pawar faction are quick to draw attention to how Pawar Senior’s observations come from his vast experience.
If he has hinted something, there must be some valid reason. It is not out of anger against his nephew. His words are based on pragmatism,” a party insider said.
In the past few days, party workers of all three ruling parties have made different statements on the issue.
The Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) workers are increasingly asserting the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
A few days ago, party MLA Sanjay Shirsat said that in due consideration of his vast ability and experience, as deputy chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis should play a significant role in the Centre adding that
Maharashtra can be left to Shinde’s leadership.
The Shiv Sena is not the only party batting for the coveted post. Even, Dharmaraobaba Atram from the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar proclaimed last week, that in politics, anything is possible. Ajit Pawar will become the next CM.
While the BJP has dismissed the growing assertion within the ruling combine over the CM’s post as natural, State BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Thursday said that every party is bound to project its own leadership for the CM post and ultimately, the final decision will be taken by the parliamentary board after the 2024 Assembly polls.
In the context of Sharad Pawar’s remark, Bawankule was quick to point out that none should underestimate Ajit Pawar. Anybody dismissing him or questioning his merit is making a mistake.
It was on July 2 that Ajit Pawar along with 40 NCP MLAs joined the Shiv Sena- BJP coalition government in Maharashtra and took charge as deputy chief minister. As per political strategists in the BJP, when Eknath Shinde joined the BJP along with 40 Shiv Sena rebels to form the government, the BJP central leadership promised him the CM’s post. Similar discussions were also held with Ajit Pawar.
In August 2023, at a function in Pune, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said, “Ajit Pawar, has now come to the right place, but Amit Shah came a little late. This, many say, was an indication that the BJP central leadership was likely to reward Ajit Pawar post-2024 elections, provided he delivered the results in the Lok Sabha 2024 polls likely in April-May.
A senior BJP functionary had reiterated that in politics, everything works on mutual trust. If Ajit Pawar remains sincere and proves his mettle, the BJP will surely make him CM in 2024 polls. Fadnavis himself has already hinted that Ajit Pawar will become CM for full five years.
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As per Senior NCP Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, party will leave no stone unturned to accomplish Ajit Pawar’s dream of becoming CM.
He sarcastically added that since Supriya Sule has expressed her desire to garland him, they will have to fulfil her wishes.
In the past, Assembly elections in Maharashtra were always contested on the election manifesto and the CM candidate was always kept under wraps. It was only after the elections that the party which was voted to power convened a meeting and chose its chief ministerial candidate.
News Edit K.V.Raman
