Mahayuti or Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi? Maharashtra has just 72 hours to escape President’s rule. That’s why

The Mahayuti Alliance is seeking another term in Maharashtra while the MVA is banking on the strength of veteran politician Pawar to help him come to power.

New Delhi: Even now, as votes are being counted in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, two blocs – Mahayuti And Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi – are rushing to finalize the selection of the chief minister and avoid President’s rule in the state.

The current Assembly’s term expires on November 26, and the winning bloc will have just 72 hours to form a government.

After the Assembly elections, Maharashtra came under Presidential rule. The western state has seen brief periods of presidential rule since the 2019 and 2014 elections.

Differences arise in Mahayuti board and MVA opposition over CM selection

There has been disagreement within the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) over the choice of chief minister, with voters in both camps vying for the top post. Both the ruling Mahayuti Party, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP, and the opposition MVA, comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) fronts, have expressed optimism that the mandate will be in their favor when the votes will be cast. counted on November 23.

State Congress chief Nana Patole said an MVA government will be formed in Maharashtra under the leadership of his party. His comments, however, did not go down well with ally Shiv Sena (UBT), whose leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday insisted that the chief minister’s face will be decided by consensus by all alliance partners jointly once the MVA wins a majority.

Most exit polls predict that Mahayuti will retain power in Maharashtra.

Taking advantage of the exit polls, voters of the ruling Mahayuti have also started nominating their leaders for the post of CM.

“Voters have demonstrated their preference for Shinde through voting. I think it is Shinde’s right (to be the next chief minister) and we are confident that he will become the next CM,” said Shiv Sena MLA and party spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Praveen Darekar was in the running for the post of deputy chief minister. Devendra Fadnavis for the top post.

“I think if anyone from the BJP becomes CM, it will be Devendra Fadnavis,” he said.

NCP leader Amol Mitkari has put forward the name of his party chief and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for the coveted post.

“Whatever the results, the NCP will be the kingmaker,” Mitkari said.

Meanwhile, Fadnavis claims that the chief minister’s face will be decided after all three Mahayuti parties come together and take a “good decision”.

Highlighting the differences within the MVA, BJP leader Darekar said, “Congress MP Praniti Shinde and her father and former CM Sushilkumar Shinde have supported an independent candidate against candidate Uddhav Thackeray in the constituency in Solapur district. These internal divisions demonstrate a lack of unity. How can parties without internal coherence decide on the chief minister?”

The BJP leader said Patole’s aspiration to become the chief minister was nothing but “mungerilal ke hasin sapne” (dreams).

With inputs from PTI