Who will be the next chief minister of Maharashtra? Even before the first vote is counted, speculations are rife about the person who will take charge of the Mantralaya in Mumbai. Names are flying thick and fast with constituents from both - the ruling Mahayuti and rival Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) - proposing frontrunners for the CM's post.
Polling for the 288-member Maharashtra assembly concluded on November 20 and the results will be declared on November 23. Most exit polls have predicted that the Mahayuti alliance comprising BJP, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP will retain power in the state.
READ: Who will be next Maharashtra CM? All eyes on these frontrunners
Interestingly, even before the counting day, fissures emerged within the alliances over who will lead the goverment.
Shortly after the polling, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said that an MVA government would be formed in Maharashtra under the leadership of his party. He asserted that voting trends suggest the Congress will get the highest number of seats in the new assembly.
Complete coverage of Maharashtra assembly elections 2024
The remarks did not go down well with ally Shiv Sena (UBT). Sanjay Raut on Thursday insisted the chief ministerial face will be decided by all alliance partners jointly once the MVA secures majority.
Raut said if the Congress high command has told Patole that he will be the CM face then the national party's president Mallikarjun Kharge, and its top leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra should announce the same.
Meanwhile, in the Mahayuti camp, Shiv Sena MLA and party spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat said the assembly elections were contested with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the face.
“Voters have shown their preference for Shinde through voting. I think it is Shinde’s right (to be the next CM) and we are confident that he will be the next CM,” Shirsat said.
BJP leader Pravin Darekar batted for Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for the top post.
“I think if anyone from the BJP is becoming the CM then it will be Devendra Fadnavis,” he said.
However, Ajit Pawar's supporters have put up banners in Pune, projecting the NCP chief as the next chief minister of Maharashtra.
NCP leader Amol Mitkari said that the NCP will be the kingmaker, whatever the results may be, indicating that it may prove costly for Mahayuti to sideline Ajit Pawar.
Former CM Devendra Fadnavis has maintained that all three Mahayuti parties will sit together and take a "good decision", when asked about the CM face of the alliance.
Speaking to reporters separately, BJP leader Darekar claimed the Mahayuti will form the next government, dismissing the possibility of the MVA coming to power, and said the opposition bloc was plagued by “internal rifts”.
Maharashtra recorded a turnout of 66.05 per cent in 2024, up from 61.1 per cent in 2019, according to the Election Commission.
(With inputs from PTI)
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