Fadnavis experienced a setback in the aftermath of the 2019 assembly elections as the then united Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray pulled out of the pre-poll alliance over sharing of CM’s post, shattering the BJP leader’s much-hyped mee punha yein (I will come back again) slogan.Fadnavis was sworn in as the chief minister for the second time on November 23, 2019 and Ajit Pawar was sworn in as the deputy chief minister.However, before a Supreme Court-ordered no-confidence motion could take place, Fadnavis quit on November 26, three days after taking oath as the CM.Uddhav Thackeray, propped up by Sharad Pawar-led NCP, later became the CM but quit after senior Sena leader Eknath Shinde split the party and later became the CM.After Thackeray demitted office following the large-scale desertions in the Sena, many political observers thought that Fadnavis, who they knew was behind the episode, would become the CM.However, the BJP leadership had other plans and a reluctant Fadnavis was asked to occupy the deputy CM’s post.His tenure in the last two-and-a-half years as Deputy Chief Minister has seen a marked resurgence, and Saturday’s results come as the much-awaited cherry on the cake.Though he hails from a politically active family, his father and aunt both served in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Fadnavis has crafted his own distinct political identity.Fadnavis’ first tenure as the CM was characterised by a combination of good governance and effective political manoeuvring.He earned praise for his push to expedite infrastructure projects, gaining favour particularly among urban voters. However, his term was not without challenges.The state suffered significant crop losses due to erratic weather, and his initial rejection of loan waivers for affected farmers sparked widespread protests.Another major issue during his tenure was the Maratha community’s demand for reservations in education and government jobs.Though he passed legislation to meet these demands, the subsequent Supreme Court ruling that overturned the law left many in the Maratha community dissatisfied, blaming Fadnavis for the failure.
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