Currently, BJP holds the chief minister position in 14 states within India. In 20 states, there are chief ministers allied with BJP. However, today, the focus is on Maharashtra's CM Devendra Fadnavis.
44 years ago, at an early convention by the Arabian Sea in Mumbai, Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke optimistically about the rise of the lotus within BJP. Fast forward to the current era, at Mumbai's Azad Maidan, where Devendra Fadnavis took the oath as the 14th Chief Minister of India’s BJP-led states under the presence of Narendra Modi.
Source: aajtak
First Became Maharashtra CM in 2014
In 2013, when the momentum for Narendra Modi's political journey from Gujarat to Delhi was building before the Lok Sabha elections, Devendra Fadnavis took charge as Maharashtra BJP president 11 years prior. Following Modi's ascent to Delhi in 2014, Fadnavis became the first BJP Chief Minister of Maharashtra the same year.
Slogans rang out: Narendra in Delhi, Devendra in Maharashtra. As 2024 approaches, the mantra remains with Narendra in Delhi and Devendra in Maharashtra, rooted in BJP's assertive play on the Hindutva pitch, as Modi rally calls, 'Together we are safe.'
Fadnavis’s Dynamic Play on the Hindutva Pitch
Devendra Fadnavis, a seasoned and favored RSS leader, energetically played on the Hindutva pitch in Maharashtra. He invoked 'vote jihad' and heavily emphasized the significance of the slogan 'Unity is Strength.' Ajit Pawar opposed this notion, though Fadnavis assured that the true understanding of the slogan would be revealed with time. He galvanized majority votes through impactful speeches against Owaisi in Muslim-dominated regions.
Fadnavis's Song 'Awaken Hindus' Gained Attention
In the election campaign, Fadnavis's song 'Awaken Hindus' gained attention. He sang it during a program associated with the Ram Temple inauguration in Ayodhya this past January. As India's largest state with 80 Lok Sabha seats has seen Yogi Adityanath serve two consecutive terms as Chief Minister, carrying the Hindutva banner powerfully within the party, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has made waves recently by rendering beef consumption illegal in public places there.
Can Fadnavis Draw a New Line?
Following the Hindutva trajectory, Uttarakhand's CM Pushkar Dhami was first to prepare the draft for the UCC law. Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav also follows this path, voicing: 'A Hindu does not provoke, but once provoked, retaliates.' Amidst all this, can Devendra Fadnavis carve a new line among the party's CMs as the new Hindutva leader? Fadnavis’s leadership style blends Hindutva with development. In his previous tenure, he patiently served for 2.5 years as Deputy CM.
CM Devendra Fadnavis Signed the First File
On Thursday, after assuming office, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis held his first cabinet meeting, attended by his deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. Fadnavis approved the proposal to provide five lakh rupees in financial aid for a bone marrow transplant patient by signing his first file.
Chandrakant Kurhade from Pune had sought assistance from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for his wife's treatment. Before chairing his first cabinet meeting, CM Fadnavis signed the document.
'Our Maharashtra Will Not Stop Now'
Addressing a press conference, Devendra Fadnavis informed that the government takes correction from media inaccuracies. Often media plays the role of a corrective instrument. Our Maharashtra will not halt its stride. The pace Maharashtra has garnered over the past 2.5 years will continue to advance across sectors. Our roles may alter the direction. My coordination with Shinde and Pawar remains steadfast.
'Raising the Ladki Behen Scheme Funds'
Fadnavis explained their goal to fulfill manifesto promises. The government will operate with transparency over the next five years—not in constant opposition confrontation but through work. Maintaining the Ladki Behen Scheme, they’ll enhance the monthly compensation from the current 1500 to 2100 rupees. Strengthening the financial sources will be the preceding step, with the fund increase expected in the March budget. Some applications' eligibility will be reviewed; not all, acknowledging possible discrepancies.
Fadnavis mentioned the Mumbai assembly is slated for December 9, preceding the Speaker's election. The ministerial expansion will occur before the Nagpur assembly session. Final decisions on departments closely mirror the current coalition yet include some changes. Rivers connection projects will receive heightened attention.
