Patience, loyalty to party and strategic acumen pay off for Fadnavis as he returns as CM
Devendra Fadnavis, the political stalwart who rose from humble beginnings to become a key figure in Maharashtra politics, was on Thursday evening sworn in as chief minister — a position he has held twice before. «Mi Punha Ye-in (I will be back),» he had famously said at the end of his first tenure in the top post in 2019. His detractors mocked him over the resolution when he had to sit in the opposition subsequently; but the BJP leader had the last laugh.
The 54-year-old leader, whose career has been marked by a blend of resilience and strategic manoeuvring, would lead the state for the third time following a decisive showing of the BJP in the November 20 assembly polls. Fadnavis' political journey has been nothing short of remarkable. From serving as an obscure corporator to becoming the youngest mayor of Nagpur, he has strengthened his status as a prominent leader within his party.
Notably, he is only the second Brahmin to serve as Chief Minister of Maharashtra, following the Shiv Sena's Manohar Joshi. His ascent began in earnest ahead of the 2014 assembly elections, where he garnered significant support from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior BJP leader Amit Shah. Modi famously referred to him as «Nagpur's gift to the country» during a campaign rally. Though Modi had launched a campaign blitzkrieg in the 2014 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly polls, a portion of the credit also went to Fadnavis, then state BJP president, for the party's success.
Son of Jan Sangh and later BJP leader late Gangadhar
