With only 4 months left for the Maharashtra assembly elections, there is a tussle over the CM's face in the MVA.


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Although the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections are four months away, discussions have already begun on the chief ministerial candidate for the next government. A recent statement by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has fueled a controversy within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Raut opined that MVA should enter the polls by announcing its chief ministerial candidate and recommended his party chief Uddhav Thackeray for the same. His statement did not go down well with other MVA constituencies, who immediately responded by saying that the CM's face would be decided when the top leaders of the three parties sit together.

Let's take a look at the Maharashtra hot seat candidates and potential candidates in both the current Mahawati and opposition MVA alliances.

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Uddhav Thackeray:

Thackeray has been the Chief Minister for two-and-a-half years in the MVA government and is ready to become the Chief Minister again if the situation is in his favour. According to Raut, Thackeray was popular as chief minister and deserves another term.

Supraya Sole:

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Although Sharad Pawar's daughter Sule is elected to the Lok Sabha for the fourth consecutive term, Sharad Pawar's NCP becomes the largest party in terms of MLAs within the NCP. can be Before Ajit Pawar's coup, Sharad Pawar maintained that Sole would remain active in central politics while his nephew Ajit would look after affairs at the state level. However, the defection of Ajit Pawar changed this arrangement.

Nana Patole:

Although a section of Congress leaders is not happy with his way of working, Patole is being credited for his role as Maharashtra Congress chief in reviving the party. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress won only one out of 48 seats. However, in 2024, under Patole's leadership, it became the single largest party in Maharashtra by winning 13 seats. If the Congress emerges as the single largest party within the MVA, Patole will be a prominent contender for the chief minister's post.

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Now let's look at the current Mahawati alliance candidates.

Devendra Fadnavis:

He has been the Chief Minister twice and is currently the Deputy Chief Minister of the state. He is seen as the clear choice as the BJP's chief ministerial face unless circumstances force the top leadership to consider another name.

Eknath Shinde:

Shiv Sena chief and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is eyeing another term. He has no challenger in the party, however, and his return to office depends only on what the BJP leadership has in mind. In 2022, the BJP made him the Chief Minister despite his party having very few seats. If the alliance comes to power, the BJP will not be so “generous” this time.

Ajit Pawar:

Ajit Pawar holds the record of becoming the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra four times. In the 2004 elections, when the NCP won more seats than the Congress, he got a chance to become the Chief Minister. However, the party chief and his uncle gave the CM's post to the Congress in exchange for an additional cabinet berth in the UPA government at the Centre. Ajit Pawar has never hidden his desire to become the Chief Minister, however, it seems possible only if Mahawati wins the election and her party gets the most seats in the alliance.

The two alliances will begin the process of seat allocation soon after the conclusion of the ongoing monsoon session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.


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