Mumbai: It's official. Devendra Fadnavis 18 will be the chief minister of Maharashtra.
He was elected Tuesday as BJP Legislature Party leader, clearing the way for it to become prime minister.
BJP leader Eknath Khadse moved the resolution, which was seconded by Vinod Tawde, Sudhir Mungantiwar and Pankaja Munde.
Maharashtra Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao allowed the BJP 15 days after the inauguration ceremony, to be held on October 31 to prove its majority in the state Assembly.
Senior BJP leaders met with the governor, along with Mr. Fadnavis stake their claim to form a government as the single largest party in the Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra.
JP Nadda, a central party observers for Maharashtra, said a small number of ministers would take oath on October 31, stating that no Shiv Sena MLA or other parties are included in the first oath ceremony.
Still in limbo regarding their future in the new government, Shiv Sena would have to sit in the opposition in the new Assembly The Shiv Sena. Despite rounds of talks between BJP and Shiv Sena leaders, has reached no consensus.
Confirming the development on Tuesday, Mr. Fadnavis said, "The governor has allowed us to take oath on Friday ministership and demonstrate our majority within 15 days of me taking over as prime minister."
As the first chief minister of Maharashtra BJP, Mr Fadnavis name 'was decided at the meeting of the central committee of the party held before the meeting of the legislature party in the evening.
The process for electing the leader of the BJP Legislature Party began Tuesday morning, when all the MLAs, along with deputies and other senior leaders gathered at the party headquarters. In a show of strength of all party MLAs, wearing turbans, marched from the office party Vidhan Bhavan for the BJP legislature party meeting.
Ironically, Mr. Khadse who had maintained that he was one of the contenders for the post of CM until the last minute, I was forced to propose the name of Mr. Fadnavis as the leader of the BJP Legislature Party.
However, immediately after the announcement, Mr. Khadse made a U-turn and blamed the media for "creating a controversy." He said the election of Mr. Fadnavis was a "unanimous decision by the party."
After the election Mr. Fadnavis' BJP MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar, who was pushing for Mr Nitin Gadkari for CM said: "Earlier Nitin Gadkari party wanted to be prime minister.
However, he refused ... The party then backed Fadnavis and we've chosen. "
Reacting to the development, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said Maharashtra will become the number one state in the country under the leadership of Mr. Fadnavis.