Backbencher to Topper, The Inspiring Journey of Maharashtra's New CM, Devendra Fadnavis | ABP News
The new Chief Minister of Maharashtra will be decided today (December 4). A meeting of the BJP legislative party is scheduled, where they will elect their new leader. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani have been appointed as central observers for the meeting. According to a BJP official, Devendra Fadnavis, who has served as Chief Minister twice, is considered the front-runner for the top position. The meeting will be held at the Vidhan Bhavan on Wednesday morning. Maharashtra’s assembly elections were held on November 20, with results announced three days later. The 'Mahayuti' alliance won 230 out of 288 seats, with the BJP securing 132, while Shiv Sena and NCP won 57 and 41 seats, respectively. BJP has already announced that the new Chief Minister will take the oath of office on December 5 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. Preparations for the ceremony are underway. It is likely that the Deputy Chief Minister positions will be offered to BJP's two major allies in the 'Mahayuti' alliance, Shiv Sena and NCP. Earlier, a few hours after Eknath Shinde returned from the hospital, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis visited his official residence, 'Varsha'. This was the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders after their discussions with BJP’s top leadership in Delhi last week. It is noteworthy that Shinde has been unwell in recent days and has been staying at his personal residence in Thane. Shinde had gone to his village in Satara district last Friday, which led to speculation that he was unhappy with the formation of the new 'Mahayuti' government. However, his associates clarified that Shinde's health was the primary concern.