Mumbai: Patience has yielded desired results for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
When the BJP stalwart took over as the 21st CM a month ago on December 5, 2024 he was highly watched for his next political moves. He had emerged as the architect of the massive mandate that the Mahayuti fetched. However, still there was a lot of confusion as to who should become the Chief Minister. Several names were coming forth, not just from the alliance partners but even from within his own party. But, he was patient. After about two weeks of intense negotiations his name was finalised.
There was confusion over whether the leaders of alliance parties will join the government as deputy chief ministers. Though Ajit Pawar had extended support to Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde was initially not ready for that. However, finally he too agreed and Fadnavis, along with Shinde and Pawar as Deputy Chief Ministers, took oath as Chief Minister.
Over the past one month, Fadnavis has proved that he is firmly in saddle and past one month of Fadnavis 2.0 have unfolded what he really meant when had said, during his first press conference in Mantralaya that, “the 20-20 match is over” and he is in for a “test match”.
Problems not over
Though the trio took oath, the problems for the new government were not yet over. Choice of ministers was the biggest task. Due to the increased mandate of the BJP, it became necessary to redraw the power sharing formula. Keeping the old and new faces within party happy all the while cutting down on alliance’s share in power without hurting them needed the leadership skills of a higher degree.
Fadnavis displayed that he has loads of those skills within him. Choosing the cabinet and portfolio allocation took major time of the month, yet apart from that, Fadnavis was able to pull off a weeklong winter session. The new government faced the winter session with ease. The assembly cleared supplementary demands granting necessary financial power to run the government and 17 important bills that basically turned various ordinances of the previous government into acts.
In addition, BJP’s Ram Shinde was elected as the Chairman of legislative council. The post was vacant for almost over two years. However, while filling that post the Fadnavis government kept the issue of the post of deputy speaker in the state assembly in abeyance. BJP’s alliance partners too are eyeing the post even as the opposition has demanded the post while reminding the government of democratic principles. Interestingly, history shows that none of the MVA partners had ever given such a post to opposition upholding democratic principles. It needs to be seen as to how things unfold on this front. Decision on the post of leader of opposition too is lingering in the similar fashion as none of the opposition parties have been able to get even 10 percent of the assembly seats to be able to rightfully claim the post. This added to Fadnavis’ strength.
CM in travel mode
After the assembly session, came the announcement of cabinet portfolios. That too was bound to lead to a little bit of unrest. However, Fadnavis pacified all. The year-end mood led to some delays in ministers taking charge of their departments. But, the Chief Minister was there working tirelessly. Just when the New Year was still a couple of days away, first commercial flight landed on the newly developed airport in Navi Mumbai. Authorities also said that the airport can be operational as early as March 2025. This was a big news confirming the new government’s continued thrust on development. The first week of the New Year further confirmed what the CM was working on.On the first day of the New Year, he travelled to eastern-most part of the state, the Gadchiroli district, to reaffirm his government’s commitment towards security, welfare and development. Gadchiroli, for long, has had a dubious distinction of the district infested with Left Wing Extremism (LWE) and as the least developed district of the state. During his tour of the district, Fadnavis inaugurated a police outpost and a bus route in the border areas of the district, which had remained untouched for almost seven decades.
Fadnavis also inaugurated steel plants and auxiliary industries, for which he had laid the foundation about five years back. Dreaded Maoist rebels, who had a total of over Rs. One crore of prises on their heads, too surrendered before the Chief Minister in this tour. He also distributed medals and prises to the police personnel who contributed to the anti-LWE operations and started the program to ensure they get best of the equipment to excel in their goals. “Only 45 Maoists remain in Gadchiroli now and we shall soon free the whole district out of their clutches,” Fadnavis announced.
Social connect on card
On the second day of the New Year Fadnavis led the first meeting of his cabinet announcing major decisions that give a glimpse of techno-governance that he aims at. On the third day of the New Year he proclaimed that the state has achieved 95 per cent of the annual FDI target within Six months while maintaining its top position as far as other states in the country are concerned. Fadnavis also travelled to Naigaon, the birthplace of social reformer Savitribai Phule where he proclaimed women-centric direction of the politics in the days to come. He also travelled to Alandi to participate in the ‘Sant Kritadnyata Sohala’.This was a unique program where the CM Fadnavis interacted with the seers, godmen and religious heads of various sects across the state to seek their blessings and to thank them for the role they played in bringing about the massive political change in the state. “Saints have led social change even in the past. They have always played a major role in turning down disoriented rulers and bring back those to power who abide by the rules set by the Dharma. The awakening that they have brought in the society from time to time has led India to newer heights,” Fadnavis said. He also thanked the saints for leading to the biggest awakening against ‘Vote Jihad’ in the state and to instil faith in the society as the biggest tool of unruly elements is to do away with faith in the society. For anyone who wants to get insights into the future actions of the Fadnavis government, this speech provides a clear guide.This was also the day, when the Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana, that had been leading a vitriolic campaign against Fadnavis since 2014, praised him in its editorial. This might be interpreted as one of the examples of Fadnavis’ ability to turn bitterest of his foes into friends.Be it security, housing development, infrastructure, connectivity, social upliftment, education, irrigation, power or even the agriculture, the government has charted out a clear action plan for the next 100 days wherein a strong foundation will be laid for the next five years.The beginning of this Fadnavis 2.0 government appears to be very well choreographed as far as the areas, institutions, individuals that have been touched or reached out to by the government in the first month. There have been no major announcements like they were in 2014 or even when the Shinde government came to power in 2022. This time it is more serious business is what the CM appears to convey with as assurance that he would ensure it is carried out without much of disturbance.
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