<p>Mumbai: Former minister and four-time MLA Ravindra Chavan is likely to be the next Maharashtra BJP President. </p><p>Chavan (54) may be anointed as the next BJP President during the grand state-level convention in the temple town of Shirdi on January 12, 2025 coinciding with the birth anniversary of the legendary monk-philosopher, Swami Vivekananda.</p><p>Considered close to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Chavan would take charge from incumbent Chandrashekar Bawankule, who has been made the state Revenue Minister. </p><p>When the Maha Yuti-NDA council-of-ministers was appointed, the name of Chavan, who is a four-time MLA from Dombivli in Thane district, did not figure. </p><p>An indication of Chavan’s elevation came on Saturday when Bawankule appointed him as in charge of organisational rebuilding initiative, Sanghatan Parv.</p><p>Chavan, a grass-roots worker, had been a minister in the Fadnavis-headed BJP-Shiv Sena government from 2014-19 and the previous Eknath Shinde-led Maha Yuti government. </p><p>Chavan had handled ministries like Public Works, Ports, Medical Education, Information and Technology, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection. </p><p>Chavan, who belongs to the Maratha community, is a good organiser, and his relationship cuts across party lines. </p><p>The Shirdi convention is the first major party event after the 2024 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls.</p><p>In the 15th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, the Maha Yuti-NDA has 235 seats of the total strength of 288. </p><p>The BJP has got 132 seats, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena 57 and Ajit Pawar-led NCP 41.</p>.Great economist, reformer, statesman: Maharashtra leaders remember Manmohan Singh.<p>Besides, six MLAs belonging to smaller parties and independents have supported the BJP. </p><p>The BJP and its allies had suffered badly in the Lok Sabha polls at the hands of the Maha Vikas Aghadi-I.N.D.I.A. opposition bloc, however, within six months they managed to turn the tables. </p><p>The first major challenge before Chavan would be the municipal corporation elections expected to be held early next year.</p><p>Because of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent issues pending in the Supreme Court, the elections to 29 municipal corporations of Maharashtra - which is more than 60-65 per cent of the state’s 13 crore population -does not have an elected body. </p><p>This includes urban centres like Mumbai and eight other corporations of larger Mumbai metropolitan region -Thane, Vasai-Virar, Mira-Bhayander, Kalyan-Dombivli, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Panvel, and other civic bodies like Nashik, Aurangabad, Nagpur, Amravati -where elections are due. </p>
<p>Mumbai: Former minister and four-time MLA Ravindra Chavan is likely to be the next Maharashtra BJP President. </p><p>Chavan (54) may be anointed as the next BJP President during the grand state-level convention in the temple town of Shirdi on January 12, 2025 coinciding with the birth anniversary of the legendary monk-philosopher, Swami Vivekananda.</p><p>Considered close to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Chavan would take charge from incumbent Chandrashekar Bawankule, who has been made the state Revenue Minister. </p><p>When the Maha Yuti-NDA council-of-ministers was appointed, the name of Chavan, who is a four-time MLA from Dombivli in Thane district, did not figure. </p><p>An indication of Chavan’s elevation came on Saturday when Bawankule appointed him as in charge of organisational rebuilding initiative, Sanghatan Parv.</p><p>Chavan, a grass-roots worker, had been a minister in the Fadnavis-headed BJP-Shiv Sena government from 2014-19 and the previous Eknath Shinde-led Maha Yuti government. </p><p>Chavan had handled ministries like Public Works, Ports, Medical Education, Information and Technology, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection. </p><p>Chavan, who belongs to the Maratha community, is a good organiser, and his relationship cuts across party lines. </p><p>The Shirdi convention is the first major party event after the 2024 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls.</p><p>In the 15th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, the Maha Yuti-NDA has 235 seats of the total strength of 288. </p><p>The BJP has got 132 seats, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena 57 and Ajit Pawar-led NCP 41.</p>.Great economist, reformer, statesman: Maharashtra leaders remember Manmohan Singh.<p>Besides, six MLAs belonging to smaller parties and independents have supported the BJP. </p><p>The BJP and its allies had suffered badly in the Lok Sabha polls at the hands of the Maha Vikas Aghadi-I.N.D.I.A. opposition bloc, however, within six months they managed to turn the tables. </p><p>The first major challenge before Chavan would be the municipal corporation elections expected to be held early next year.</p><p>Because of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent issues pending in the Supreme Court, the elections to 29 municipal corporations of Maharashtra - which is more than 60-65 per cent of the state’s 13 crore population -does not have an elected body. </p><p>This includes urban centres like Mumbai and eight other corporations of larger Mumbai metropolitan region -Thane, Vasai-Virar, Mira-Bhayander, Kalyan-Dombivli, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Panvel, and other civic bodies like Nashik, Aurangabad, Nagpur, Amravati -where elections are due. </p>