BJP to contest Maharashtra Assembly polls under collective leadership

Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced that it will fight the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections under collective leadership, moving away from its previous strategy of centring campaigns around a single figure.
In a core committee meeting held at the party’s Nariman Point office on Friday, the BJP appointed former union minister and Maratha leader Raosaheb Danve as Election Coordinator. Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the state unit chief, revealed that the party would also establish 16 additional committees under various senior leaders.
“The decision to appoint Danve as the election coordinator was made today in the core committee meeting,” Bawankule stated. “Sixteen other leaders will head various committees crucial for the polls.”
This strategic shift indicates that Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will no longer enjoy the sole leadership he has held since 2014. The party aims to appoint leaders from diverse communities to broaden its support base.
A BJP leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained the rationale behind the move: “By appointing Danve as election coordinator, the party is attempting to bolster its position in Marathwada, where its performance in the Lok Sabha election was underwhelming.”
The decision to adopt a collective leadership approach comes as the BJP seeks to strengthen its position across various regions and communities in Maharashtra. The new structure is expected to include prominent figures such as Pankaja Munde, Ashish Shelar, Ashok Chavan, and Ram Shinde heading different committees.
Friday’s core committee meeting was attended by union ministers Bhupendra Yadav and Ashwini Vaishnaw, who serve as in-charge and co-in-charge respectively, along with state leaders including Fadnavis, Bawankule, and Ashok Chavan.
Bawankule announced that the next core committee meeting would be held on 13 September, where further details of the party’s election strategy are likely to be discussed.