BJP may face tough battle to retain Maharashtra CM post in 2029

A statement by Jay Pawar backing his mother and deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar as Maharashtra’s first woman chief minister in 2029 has triggered fresh political churn within the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance.

The alliance was already grappling with simmering discontent from deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, who has continued to signal his own chief ministerial ambitions. Now, with the Ajit Pawar faction also staking claim to the top post, concerns are growing within the BJP that the chief minister’s chair could slip from its hands in 2029. Leaders from both the BJP and the Shinde camp have reacted sharply to Jay Pawar’s remarks.

The BJP had engineered a split in the original Shiv Sena through Shinde to come to power and subsequently made him chief minister. However, after the 2024 Assembly election, the BJP replaced Shinde with Devendra Fadnavis. The move reportedly upset Shinde, who has frequently expressed his displeasure indirectly, often retreating to his village and spending time farming.

Prahar Sanghatana leader Bachchu Kadu, after joining the Shinde camp, has openly demanded that Shinde be reinstated as chief minister. “We do not want to see Devendra Fadnavis as chief minister. We want our leader Shinde in that role,” he has said publicly.

Late NCP leader Ajit Pawar had joined the Mahayuti alliance after engineering a split in his uncle Sharad Pawar’s NCP with the ambition of eventually becoming chief minister. However, his death in an air crash in January left that dream unfulfilled.

His son Jay recently said the people of Baramati had always wanted to see Ajit Pawar as chief minister and that Sunetra Pawar was now working with the same dedication. “We hope that after the 2029 elections, she will fulfil Dada’s (Ajit Pawar) dream and become the chief minister of the state,” he said.

Following the statement, large posters and flex banners surfaced across Baramati declaring: 'Respected Sunetra Vahini Ajitdada Pawar… Yes, chief minister! The entire Maharashtra wants to see you as the state’s first woman chief minister.'

The posters have not only drawn public attention but also intensified unease within the Mahayuti alliance. At the same time, the Pawar family appears to be politically regrouping to consolidate its influence. Sharad Pawar’s daughter and MP Supriya Sule welcomed the demand for Sunetra Pawar’s elevation and said, “If Sunetra Pawar becomes chief minister, I will be the first to garland her.”

Leaders from alliance parties, however, responded with sarcasm and caution. BJP Mumbai president Amit Satam said there was nothing wrong in aspiring to become chief minister, but added that the final decision would rest with the people of Maharashtra. “Every party wants its leader to become CM. There is nothing wrong in that. But the final decision will be taken by Maharashtra’s 12.5 crore people,” he said.

BJP minister Jaykumar Gore remarked that merely expressing a desire was not enough to become chief minister and that adequate legislative support and a majority were essential.

Shinde camp leader Bharat Gogawale also took a swipe at the development, saying perhaps Jay Pawar had begun dreaming of the chief minister’s post after the alliance’s recent bypoll success. “We will have to wait and see what happens in 2029,” he said.

The jockeying over future chief ministerial claims has exposed growing internal tensions within the Mahayuti alliance, where the BJP, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction and the Ajit Pawar camp are all attempting to expand their political influence.

The BJP has been trying to weaken Shinde’s hold over Thane, while Ajit Pawar’s faction is increasingly being viewed as vulnerable after his death. Yet the Pawar family appears determined to protect its political legacy through renewed unity.

At the same time, rising incidents of crimes against women in Maharashtra are beginning to affect the popularity of chief minister Fadnavis, who also handles the home department. The fallout, political observers believe, could hurt the BJP-led alliance in the 2029 Assembly election.