Amid growing unease among Mahayuti partners and with Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde still seen as harbouring chief ministerial ambitions, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s “Dilli abhi dur hai (Delhi is still far away)” remark on Wednesday is being viewed as a message both to his party colleagues and to allies.
A seasoned politician who often describes himself as a karyakarta carrying out the BJP’s mandate, Fadnavis’s comments have set state political circles abuzz. While some interpreted them as a signal to allies that he intends to firmly hold on to the CM’s chair, others saw it as a reassertion to his own partymen that he remains in command of the state organisation.
Seen as close to both the RSS leadership and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Fadnavis was until recently considered among the frontrunners to replace BJP national president J P Nadda, who continues on an extension and serves as a minister in the Modi Cabinet. Many believe his proximity to the RSS makes him a natural contender for the post.
However, top BJP sources said Fadnavis has conveyed to the central leadership that his focus remains on Maharashtra’s transformation. “In tune with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat, he wants the state to make a significant contribution by achieving a $1-trillion economy,” a source said.
Speaking at a Diwali get-together in Mumbai, Fadnavis said, “I am not going to Delhi and will continue in Maharashtra till 2029. As far as I know my party, Delhi is still far away. I will continue as CM till 2029.” He also dismissed talk of new partners joining the ruling alliance, saying the Mahayuti – comprising the BJP, Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Shinde-led Sena – “will have no new partners.”
Fadnavis’s reassertion stems in part from past political developments in Maharashtra and Delhi. After becoming Maharashtra’s first BJP CM in 2014 and completing his full term, speculation about his shift to Delhi began after the 2019 Assembly elections, when the BJP, in alliance with the undivided Shiv Sena, won 105 seats to the Sena’s 56.
“Fadnavis has proved his administrative and leadership abilities. He may continue (as CM) for two-three years and then explore options in Delhi,” one of his close aides had said after the 2019 polls.
Although Modi was reportedly keen to induct a “capable leader and quick leader” into his Cabinet, Fadnavis declined, saying he wanted to focus on reviving the BJP in Maharashtra. But after the Sena broke ties with the BJP to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) with the Congress and the NCP, Fadnavis was forced into the role of Leader of the Opposition.
In 2022, he returned to power as Deputy CM after Shinde split the Sena and joined the NDA. A year later, the NCP too split, with Ajit Pawar leading a majority of its leaders into the NDA fold.
Fadnavis faced another setback in last year’s Lok Sabha elections when the Mahayuti won only 17 of the state’s 48 seats — the BJP’s tally falling from 23 to 9 — while the MVA secured 30. But months later, he led the BJP to its best-ever Assembly performance, winning 132 of 288 seats, with the Mahayuti collectively bagging 235.
Even without any immediate threat to the government, his third term has been tested by the Maratha quota agitation led by activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, prompting calls from within the alliance for a Maratha CM to ensure “socio-political” stability. “Nothing is certain in politics. We still have our fingers crossed and someday would like Shinde (a Maratha) to become the CM again,” a senior Sena leader said.
While some NCP leaders share similar sentiments about Ajit Pawar (also a Maratha), his close aides say he has “come to terms with reality”. “Ajit is a dynamic leader known for his work. He knows numbers matter in politics. How can a party with an absolute majority concede the CM’s post to allies?” said a source close to him.
Sources added that the “sword of central agencies” hanging over Ajit has forced him to temper his ambitions. “By associating with the BJP, Ajit has managed to keep the agencies at bay. While the Fadnavis government had promised to take the alleged irrigation scam to its logical end, it was the BJP that gave him a clean chit after he joined them,” a source said.
The Opposition has seized on Fadnavis’s comment. While Congress leader Sachin Sawant said the CM has conveyed a message to Shinde indirectly as they do not communicate directly, NCP(SP) spokesperson Clyde Castro claimed that Fadnavis’s remarks “has shattered the dreams” of Shinde and Ajit.