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Devendra Fadnavis is set to take oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister at Mumbai's Azad Maidan tomorrow, starting his third term in the top post. The BJP leadership finalised Mr Fadnavis today as its choice for the Chief Minister post, potentially ending the long-drawn suspense over who would get the top job. Soon after, his name was placed before the newly elected legislators and their approval finalised his selection.
The developments are taking place as Azad Maidan in Mumbai preps for the grand oath ceremony, two weeks after the BJP-led Mahayuti's mammoth victory in the state polls. Mr Fadnavis will today call on Governor CP Radhakrishnan to officially stake claim to form the government.
The BJP's core committee's selection of Mr Fadnavis caps the 11-day suspense in Maharashtra over who will get the Chief Minister post. Following the poll result, in which Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the Assembly, Shiv Sena leaders stressed that Mr Shinde led the alliance into the polls and must stay on as Chief Minister. The BJP, however, made it clear that it would claim the top post this time, having won 132 out of the 148 seats it contested. Eventually, Mr Shinde publicly said he wouldn't be an obstacle in government formation and would accept any decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on the Chief Minister post.
Mr Shinde did not have much leverage to push a hard bargain since the BJP now needs only one of its allies to reach the majority mark in the Assembly and the NCP has reportedly pledged its support. But despite the Sena chief's public statement clearing his position on the top post, the posturing by party leaders continued, with statements stressing that Mr Shinde's contribution to the Mahayuti win must not be overlooked.