An astute politician with ears to the ground and eyes on the horizon, Devendra Fadnavis has emerged as one of the most trusted team member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The leader with a 'Mr Clean' image and a face of 'Common Man' - has surpassed many stalwarts in Maharashtra politics.
At just 49, he has 27 years of legislative experience and calls the shot for the saffron party in the state.
The incumbent Chief Minister was on Thursday re-elected as BJP's leader of legislative party.
If all goes well between BJP and Shiv Sena, he will be the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the second term.
Modi has already said "Desh me Narendra, pradesh me Devendra" (Narendra in the country, Devendra in the state) and BJP President and Union Home Minister Amit Shah has described him as the "current and future" CM of Maharashtra.
He is a rare brand of politicians who is both, intellectual and popular with the masses. Soft-spoken and well-educated, he is a fine politician and a no-nonsense administrator.
Hailing from Nagpur, the five-term MLA, has the full backing of the RSS.
Since 1999, he has been a member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly – and had raised several issues in the House and put the Congress-NCP Democratic Front government in trouble.
While in government since 2014, he had punctured the opposition and kept ally Shiv Sena in good humour.
A Brahmin in the Maratha-dominated politics of the state, he has carved a niche for himself.
His father, Gangadhar Rao Fadnavis, was an MLC from Nagpur and his mother, Sarita Fadnavis, was the Director of Vidarbha Housing Credit Society.
Born in the year 22nd July 1970, Fadnavis holds a Graduate Degree in Law from Nagpur University, a Post Graduate Degree in Business Management and a Diploma in Methods and Techniques of Project Management from D.S.E. Berlin.
Fadnavis has played many leadership roles for both his political party as well as an elected representative of the people of Nagpur, Maharashtra.
He has served as an elected member of the Municipal Corporation of Nagpur for two consecutive terms, in 1992 and 1997. He has the distinction of being the second youngest Mayor ever in India when he served as the Mayor of Nagpur. He was also the only one to be re-elected and serve as the first ‘Mayor in Council’ of Maharashtra.
Fadanvis's wife Amruta works with the Axis Bank in Mumbai and they have a daughter, Divija. He is a foodie and loves music and films and keenly follows sports, current affairs and international affairs.
What is more important is that he is at ease in all situation - whether speaking to grassroots workers or blue-collar executives or farmers or handling an angry morcha.
During the last five years, he encountered may problems - farmers suicide, drought in Marathwada region, corruption charges against a dozen ministers of his government, but he tackled all those. He also managed to politically sideline some of the senior leaders.
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