Devendra Fadnavis weakened by controversies, central leadership has given signs to promote other leaders

Some of the recent decisions by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) central leadership have left former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in an isolated and vulnerable position. The party constantly projected him on the national stage as the new face, knowledgeable, Gen Next Hindutva leader of Maharashtra.

The promotion of Vinod Tawde from the post of National Secretary to BJP General Secretary in the last three days and the nomination of Chandrashekhar Bawankule for the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections are indications of this. Both are staunch opponents of Fadnavis. One thing is clear from these decisions that the central leadership is cutting the wings of its former poster boy.

Fadnavis sidelined many leaders
During his tenure, Fadnavis sidelined former education minister Tawde. Changing and minimizing cabinet portfolios and eventually depriving the Maratha leader of tickets for the 2019 assembly elections. Similarly, Bawankule, a former power minister and an OBC strongman in Nagpur who is blessed by Union minister Nitin Gadkari, was also not given a ticket. The BJP is said to have lost at least six seats in the Vidarbha region because of this.

Promoting leaders of anti-BJP camp
Bawankule’s nomination for the Legislative Council election is being seen by the BJP as an outreach to the Teli community in Vidarbha. At the same time, it is also being seen as strengthening the hands of Gadkari at the cost of Fadnavis. Another leader sidelined by Fadnavis is former BJP state president Raosaheb Danve, who is now minister of state in the railways, coal and mines ministries at the Centre.

Bawankule was also stopped. He said, ‘The party has appointed me as the state general secretary. Now it has nominated me for the council elections. Why should I be sad about what happened in the past?”

Eknath Khadse left the party because of Fadnavis
Eknath Khadse, who joined the NCP after being sidelined by Fadnavis, had said, “The handwriting on the wall is clear to all. It is only a matter of time. Fadnavis did dirty politics. He eliminated all his political rivals.” It happened because he had the confidence of the central leadership. But soon things started changing. I left the BJP because I was tired of the harassment. I left the BJP only and only because of Fadnavis.

Fadnavis had said, “I am happy that Vinodji Tawde has become the national general secretary. This is an important role which was played in the past by leaders like the late (Gopinath) Munde and (Pramod) Mahajan.” But a close aide of his said that it was “unfair” to target Fadnavis in matters of ticket distribution or cabinet berths, as these are decided at the core committee level. approved by the central leadership.

‘Government ran well, but not the party’
There is talk within the BJP that while his five years as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra went well, Fadnavis failed as an organizational man and a team leader. When he was brought in as Maharashtra BJP president in April 2013, he was seen as uniting traditional rival factions led by Nitin Gadkari and Gopinath Munde. Eight years later, party insiders blamed him for the break-up of the 25-year-old alliance with the Shiv Sena.

There is also enmity with Pankaja Munde
His hostility towards the people is said to have led to further factionalism in the party, which he viewed as internal rivals. His open fight with Munde’s daughter Pankaja garnered the ire of many in the party. On June 3 this year at the release of a postage stamp in Gopinath Munde’s honor, BJP President JP Nadda made an emotional speech praising Munde’s leadership, perhaps the first indication of the party’s unhappiness with Fadnavis.