To Be or Not To Be Deputy CM: 2 Hours That Changed the Fate of Devendra Fadnavis

Hours after saying he'd stay out of Eknath Shinde's cabinet, Devendra Fadnavis took oath as deputy CM. What changed?

The BJP's central leadership decided that Fadnavis should be a part of the Maharashtra government, party chief JP Nadda said, requesting Fadnavis for the same in his personal capacity.

(Photo: PTI)

After days of political turmoil in the Shiv Sena that changed the fate of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state, rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday, 30 June, took oath as the chief minister and the deputy CM respectively.

However, as he announced Shinde as the CM in a joint press briefing at Raj Bhavan earlier in the evening, Fadnavis had declared that he will not be a part of the Cabinet, but will provide outside support and ensure smooth functioning of the government and the alliance.

Here's what unfolded in the two hours between the announcement and the oath-taking:

5:00 pm:

Devendra Fadnavis, while declaring Shinde as the CM said: "Eknath Shinde will alone take oath at 7.30 pm today. After the ceremony, further decisions on the expansion of the Cabinet will be taken. The Cabinet will comprise of the Shiv Sena, the allies, the independents, and the BJP. I will not be a part of the Cabinet, but I will take responsibility for the smooth functioning of the alliance and the government. I will provide full support and cooperation to the government."

Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis addresses a press conference, in Mumbai, Thursday, June 30, 2022.

6:37 pm:

BJP chief JP Nadda, in a byte to news agency ANI, requested Fadnavis to become the deputy CM of the state.

"Former CM and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis declared Eknath Shinde as the new chief minister. He also showed a big heart and said that he will stay out of the Cabinet and support the government from the outside. It shows the character of our party and the leaders and proves that we do not work for any post," he said.

"However, the BJP's central leadership has decided that Devendra Fadnavis should be a part of the government. A request has been made to Fadnavis about the same in a personal capacity. The central leadership has conveyed to him that he should take charge as the deputy chief minister and fulfill the wishes of the people of Maharashtra," Nadda added.

6:58 pm:

Home Minister Amit Shah took to Twitter to declare that Devendra Fadnavis will become the deputy chief minister of the state on Nadda's request.

7:33 pm:

Taking to Twitter, Devendra Fadnavis said that he will join the Cabinet on the party central leadership's orders.

7.40 pm:

Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the deputy chief minister at Mumbai's Raj Bhavan.