In a significant development indicating potential political recalibration, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde convened a late-night meeting at his official residence ‘Varsha’ with Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, as reported by sources to PTI on Tuesday. The meeting, whose details remain undisclosed, comes in the aftermath of the ruling coalition Mahayuti’s lackluster performance in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections.
According to sources within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the meeting was initiated by Chief Minister Shinde and included discussions with Deputy CM Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Following Ajit Pawar’s departure, discussions reportedly continued between Shinde and Fadnavis, hinting at a deepened dialogue on the coalition’s strategy moving forward.
The BJP, in response to the electoral outcomes, has scheduled a review meeting with its state leadership in Delhi. This session aims to assess the party’s performance in Maharashtra during the Lok Sabha polls, where the Mahayuti alliance secured 17 seats out of 48 in the state. Among them, BJP clinched 9 seats, Shiv Sena secured 7, and NCP won 1 seat, marking a departure from the coalition’s previous electoral dominance.
“It is a routine exercise within the BJP to conduct such reviews after electoral outcomes. Fadnavis had recently expressed his intention to resign following the results, preferring to focus entirely on preparing for the upcoming state assembly elections,” a source familiar with the developments disclosed to PTI.
In a strategic move, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav has been appointed as the in-charge of the Maharashtra BJP unit, supported by Ashwini Vaishnaw in an associate capacity. These appointments underscore the party’s concerted efforts to rejuvenate its electoral strategy ahead of the crucial Maharashtra assembly elections slated for October this year.
The outcome of the Delhi review meeting is anticipated to shape the coalition’s future course of action in Maharashtra, amid speculations of potential realignments and adjustments within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
