Nagpur: After a thumping saffron sweep in the assembly polls, BJP leaders from Vidarbha feel that it's time for Devendra Fadnavis to once again occupy the top post in the state.
Fears of the BJP brass opting for a surprise pick or even "gifting" the CM chair to allies for half the term continue to play on the minds of Fadnavis supporters, but they say now there are "no excuses" to offer it.A BJP leader from Nagpur said, "In 2019, the alliance with Shiv Sena was broken as our high command did not want to give up 2.5 years of the CM's post. Ultimately, that's what we ended up doing for the entire five years. Now, we have very strong numbers, and if the CM post's tenure is shared 50-50, then what was the point of refusing to do the same in 2019?"
Hence, BJP leaders said this time the CM's post for the entire five years has to be with the saffron party and, that too, with Fadnavis as the face.
Shivani Dani-Wakhare, general secretary of BJP's youth wing and known for her fiery brand of politics, said, "Every constituency we visited over the last few months, there was a strong support for BJP, and specially, Devendraji. People see him as the embodiment of progress, development and welfare schemes. Even places from where our allies were contesting, the voters told us that they had the highest respect for Devendraji and wanted to see him as CM."
As a party worker, Dani-Wakhare said, she feels that Fadnavis should head the state, so that there is overall growth with renewed momentum. "We have verbally expressed such desire to our party seniors too," she said.
BJP's Nagpur joint-treasurer Deaven Dasture said, "Devendraji's first tenure as CM was spotless, no controversy and the entire state saw progress. Even the backward region of Gadchiroli came under focus for job growth and development. And now that under his leadership in Maharashtra we have secured 132 seats, it goes without saying that Devendraji deserves the post more than anyone else."
The suspense over who gets the top post continues, but Fadnavis remains a hot favourite. However, BJP's past surprise picks, like in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, are leading to anxiety pangs among his supporters.