Devendra Fadnavis: A visionary leader known for converting odds into opportunity

Mumbai, Dec 4 Devendra Fadnavis, a committed and dedicated BJP and RSS activist, a fighter and leader with a development vision, will take over as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the third time.

Despite the opposition's taunts and insults, especially from Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, Fadnavis continued his march relentlessly taking the BJP’s agenda to the people while also taking along Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and NCP headed by Ajit Pawar. Undeterred by BJP’s dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections, Fadnavis with tacit support from BJP’s state and central leadership backed by a powerful RSS network, worked relentlessly to improve the party's tally.

Fadnavis with military-like precision planning tweaked the party’s strategy for the state Assembly election by reaching out to the OBCs considering the Maratha community, especially in the wake of pro-Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange-Patil's stance. His move worked as the OBC community with subcastes overwhelmingly supported BJP and led the party to a record 132 seat-win after contesting 149 constituencies. Yogi Adityanath’s 'Batenge To Katenge' call and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 'Ek Hai Tau Safe Hai slogan' came in quite handy for Fadnavis and the BJP to lure the voters by exposing the Congress party’s 'divide and rule' conspiracy.

Fadnavis focused on strengthening the party organisation at the level of one lakh plus booths across Maharashtra. While doing so, he saw to it that not only BJP candidates but Mahayuti nominees also benefited. His plan was quite clear that the Mahayuti alliance should reach a magic figure of 145 in the 288-seat state Assembly while countering the opposition’s fake narrative.

Fadnavis, an ace administrator and strategist, applied all possible tactics to outsmart the opposition, especially by puncturing their ''save constitution'' and cancellation of reservation narrative.

He took to the voters the pro-development agenda by promoting the Mahayuti government’s slew of welfare and development schemes, including the Ladki Bahin Yojana which created a magic in favour of BJP and Mahayuti in general. As a politically conscious and alert leader, Fadnavis succeeded in putting the opposition parties in the wrong box over their statements that if voted to power they would stop Ladki Bahin Yojana and several other schemes.

Fadnavis, who led the state during 2014 and 2019, also blamed the opposition for tarnishing Maharashtra's image by painting a bleak picture of economy and investments. He cornered the opposition by projecting how Maharashtra has regained the top position in attracting investments during Mahayuti's tenure from the third position during the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

As a close confidant of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Fadnavis will seek his guidance and the central government assistance for the smooth functioning of the 'double-engine sarkar' in Maharashtra.

He, however, faces several challenges, including mobilising funds for various development and welfare schemes, curbing revenue and fiscal deficits, increasing employment, providing higher procurement prices to cotton and soybean farmers in particular and stopping the increasing crimes against women. However, his supporters and well-wishers claim that there is no word impossible in Fadnavis’ directory and he will take Maharashtra to a new scale by converting all odds into opportunity.

Ahead of the 2019 Assembly elections, Fadnavis in his concluding speech at the last session of the state legislature, had announced that he will return -- "Mi Punha Yein (I will return)".

It was ridiculed by the opposition then. He became the CM for the second time for 72 hours after Ajit Pawar ditched him and the government did not survive. After the collapse of Maha Vikas Aghadi's government, he became the deputy chief minister. And, now Fadnavis has come back with full force and a strong mandate to start his third innings.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)