As Maharashtra’s election results approach, both the Mahayuti and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliances have begun to stake early claims for the Chief Minister’s position, with internal tensions surfacing within both factions. Although the final vote count is yet to come in, there are already disagreements among key alliance members about who should lead the next state government.
The MVA, comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP), along with the Mahayuti alliance, including BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, are both confident of forming the next government after the counting process concludes on Saturday. Here’s a look at the top contenders for the CM post from each alliance.
Mahayuti’s CM Contenders
In the Mahayuti camp, Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Shirsat was quick to declare that the alliance had fought the 2024 Assembly Elections with current Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as its leader. “Voters have expressed their preference for Shinde through their votes. It is his right to be the next CM, and we are confident he will take the position,” Shirsat said.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Pravin Darekar backed Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as the party’s choice for the top post. “If the CM comes from BJP, it will certainly be Devendra Fadnavis,” Darekar affirmed. NCP leader Amol Mitkari also threw his weight behind Ajit Pawar, his party’s leader and Deputy Chief Minister, suggesting the NCP would play a pivotal role as a kingmaker.
Despite the differing opinions, Fadnavis emphasized that the Mahayuti allies would reach a well-considered decision regarding the CM’s position. The BJP, which is contesting the highest number of seats (152), remains optimistic about emerging as the largest party. Throughout the campaign, while the alliance refrained from officially naming a CM candidate, BJP billboards prominently featured Devendra Fadnavis, who served as Deputy CM in 2022.
MVA’s CM Contenders
On the other side, the MVA alliance is also grappling with internal strife over leadership. Congress leader Nana Patole initially claimed that Congress would secure the most seats and thus would be entitled to the CM post. However, Patole later backtracked, stating that the final decision would rest with the party’s High Command.
This shift came after criticism from Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut, who questioned whether Patole had the approval of the Congress High Command to make such a claim, implying that others within the party might not support him. Raut suggested that if Patole were indeed the chosen candidate, key Congress leaders such as Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi should publicly confirm his nomination.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Pravin Darekar dismissed Patole’s CM aspirations, mocking them as “Mungerilal ke haseen sapne,” or unrealistic dreams.
As the election results draw near, both alliances face increasing pressure to resolve their leadership issues.
