Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has expressed his desire to step down from his post to focus on strengthening the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) organization. This move comes after the party’s disappointing performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections, where its tally in Maharashtra dropped significantly from 23 seats in 2019 to just nine this year.
Fadnavis, a key figure in the state’s BJP leadership, took full responsibility for the party’s electoral setback. He stated that he wants to work at the organisational level to improve the party’s performance in the upcoming Assembly elections and devote his full time to strengthening the organisation. He plans to request the central leadership to relieve him of his deputy CM responsibilities in the state government.
The decision follows a review meeting with top BJP leaders, including state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, where the party’s performance was analyzed and future strategies discussed. Despite securing 17 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, the results were seen as a significant decline compared to the 2019 elections.
Fadnavis was sworn in as the deputy chief minister in the Eknath Shinde-led government on June 30, 2022. His resignation would likely have significant implications for the state government and the BJP’s future in Maharashtra.