Maharashtra | You will be chief minister one day, Devendra Fadnavis tells Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ remark that his deputy Ajit Pawar will become the chief minister one day took many by surprise in the state’s political circles on Thursday (December 19).

“You are called the ‘permanent Deputy CM’... but my wishes are with you. You will be the chief minister someday,” Fadnavis said, addressing Pawar during the discussion on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address in the legislative assembly.

Also read: Fadnavis is winner, but Ajit Pawar is Man of the Match

Ajit Pawar on December 5 took oath as the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra for the record sixth time.

Fadnavis also shared a light-hearted note about the working schedule of Maharashtra’s leadership trio. He said he and his deputies Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde would work 24/7 in shifts.

“Ajit Pawar will work in the morning since he is an early riser. I am on duty from 12 noon to midnight while throughout the night… you all know who,” Fadnavis said, referring to Shinde, who is known to work till late hours.

The NCP leader, who has been vocal about his chief ministerial ambitions, split the Sharad Pawar-founded NCP in 2023 and joined the BJP-led Mahayuti government.

In the ensuing battle for the party name and its ‘clock’ symbol, his faction got both. His uncle and veteran politician Sharad Pawar now heads NCP (SP), an ally of the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) under the banner of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

Also read: Denied cabinet berth, bruised Bhujbal hits out at Ajit Pawar; supporters protest in Pune

After a severe drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls that saw his NCP faction bagging only one seat, Ajit Pawar’s party made an impressive comeback in the recently held Assembly elections, emerging victorious in 41 of the 57 constituencies where it was in the fray.

The Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP won over 230 of the state's 288 Assembly seats, while MVA could manage to grab only 46.