Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Saturday that he would continue in his post despite initially offering to resign following the BJP's poor performance in the recent general elections. The BJP's tally of Lok Sabha MPs in Maharashtra dropped to 9 from 23, while its ally Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde won 7 of the 15 seats it contested, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP secured one of the four seats it contested out of the 48 total seats in the state.
Fadnavis's decision to remain in office came after BJP MLAs passed a resolution expressing their confidence in him and urging him to stay on as Deputy Chief Minister. He emphasized that his decision to offer his resignation was not an emotional reaction but a strategic move and that he was committed to fighting back and preparing for the upcoming assembly elections.
Fadnavis stated that he had met senior BJP leader Amit Shah in Delhi, who asked him to continue in his role. He highlighted that despite the electoral setback, the BJP's vote share did not decline compared to 2019 and that the party lost 11 constituencies by less than five percent of votes. He also mentioned the spread of a "fake narrative" during the election campaign, which suggested that the BJP was planning to change the Constitution, negatively impacting the NDA alliance.
Additionally, Fadnavis called for better coordination among the BJP and its allies, urging caution in public statements to avoid any further misunderstandings or conflicts. The assembly elections in Maharashtra are scheduled to take place in less than six months, and Fadnavis has already begun strategizing for the upcoming political contest.
