Maharashtra BJP President Devendra Fadnavis will be the state’s new Chief Minister. The decision was unanimously taken by all the 121 newly elected legislators of the BJP. The meeting to elect the Chief Minister designate was attended by party’s central observers for Maharashtra, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP general secretary J P Nadda along with Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Om Mathur and Prakash Javadekar.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr. Rajiv Pratap Rudy said that Mr. Fadnavis’ name was proposed for the post by BJP’s senior leader Eknath Khadse and was seconded by Sudhir Mungantiwar. The proposal was then also supported by BJP’s core committee members Vinod Tawde and Pankaja Munde and then it was unanimously adopted by all the MLAs.

Also speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr. Nadda confirmed that the swearing-in ceremony will be held on Friday at 4:30 PM. He said that initially a small cabinet will be formed as the fate of the BJP – Shiv Sena alliance is still undecided. Mr. Nadda said that the BJP wants Shiv Sena to be a part of the government and a positive discussion is still on between the two parties.

The Chief Minister Designate, Mr. Devendra Fadnavis along with his core team will now call upon Governor C Vidyasagar Rao and stake claim to form government. Devendra Fadnavis will be sworn-in at Mumbai’s sprawling Wankhede Stadium on Friday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in audience.

44-year Mr. Fadnavis, MLA from Nagpur South West assembly constituency will be Maharashtra’s 18th Chief Minister and also one of its youngest. Mr. Fadnavis is a popular leader from Vidarbha, known for his ability to stay calm in heated situations and also for his resilience. Mr. Fadnavis began his political career in 1992.

At the age of 21, he became Nagpur’s youngest municipal corporator. At the age of 27, he became the second youngest mayor elected in India. He has been representing Nagpur as an MLA since 1999.