Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 | In Nagpur, Devendra Fadnavis’ challenge is to emerge on top

Nagpur: In the run up to the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ catchphrase or rather declaration, ‘me punha yein’ (I will be back!), perhaps did not materialise.

His attempt to form a government failed in 80 hours and he was pushed to the other side as Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly. Despite the setback, in two-and-a-half-years, he managed to topple the Sharad Pawar-crafted Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

But his dream of becoming Chief Minister again did not materialise and he had to settle as Deputy Chief Minister at the instance of BJP high-command under Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde.

Ahead of Lok Sabha polls, the 54-year-old Fadnavis, however, said he indeed came back but after breaking two parties - a reference to Shiv Sena and NCP.

After the drubbing the BJP got in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Fadnavis’ main task is to install a Maha Yuti government this November.

“In the 2014 and 2019 polls, the BJP got 122 and 105 seats. Under the changed political circumstances, crossing the 100-seats mark is a utopian task but Fadnavis would have to rely heavily on Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar,” political observers said, adding that Fadnavis will surely attempt to become Chief Minister again. However, there are challenges in handling a three-party coalition than a two-party coalition.

A five-time MLA, Fadnavis, a Brahmin in Maratha-dominant politics, is contesting the Nagpur South West seat, and is pitted against Prafulla Gudadhe Patil of the Congress, a Kunbi, whom he had defeated in 2014.

“Whatever may be the outcome, this seat would be keenly watched,” a senior BJP leader said, adding that one of the major challenges for Fadnavis is to increase the tally in the Vidarbha region, known for cotton, soybean and oranges.

“Fadnavis would have to spend time in his constituency also as the changed circumstances desire so…it would not be a cakewalk,” a senior Congress leader pointed out.

“In the last few years, we have changed the face of Maharashtra…Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a leadership which takes everyone along and focuses on various aspects of development,” said Fadnavis, popularly known as Dev Bhau.

Fadnavis’ opponent Patil, who is a big player in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation, exuded confidence. “Fadnavis has lost connection with the ground…I will defeat him,” he said.

Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP will be going up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress try to make their mark. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faces a new challenge after Hemant Soren's recent arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP. The Haryana election resulted in a shock loss for Congress, which was looking to galvanize on the Lok Sabha poll performance, while J&K also saw the grand old party eventually stepping away from the cabinet, with Omar Abdullah's JKNC forming government. It remains to be seen if the upcoming polls help BJP cement its position further or provide a fillip to I.N.D.I.A. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.

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