Barring a last-minute twist, State president of the Bharatiya Janata Party Devendra Fadnavis looks set to become the second Brahmin Chief Minister of Maharahstra.
While the final decision will be taken next week, questions are being raised on whether Mr. Fadnavis’ caste will give rise to criticism of the BJP for ignoring its backward leaders and hamper the party’s attempts to make inroads into the Maratha and OBC communities. The politics of the State has largely revolved around the two groups and most of the chief ministers in the State have been Marathas. The only other Brahmin Chief Minister of the State was Manohar Joshi during the previous Sena-BJP coalition (1995-99).
While anti-Brahmin propaganda is being circulated on social media and through posters, observers believe that given the overarching appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, having an upper caste person occupy the top job in Maharashtra would not harm the BJP’s social calculus.
A senior journalist with the Organiser , the RSS mouthpiece, said having a Brahmin Chief Minister would cause a shift in the politics of the State but not hamper the BJP’s cause. The “development” politics of Mr. Modi will overshadow any form of pan-Maharashtra resentment, he said. “Divisive regional politics has been rejected by the electorate. Take a look at the performance of the Sena and the NCP in comparison to the BJP,” he pointed out.
A united Maratha lobby would have revolted at the prospect of a Brahmin Chief Minister but in its absence “there cannot be a Maratha consolidation,” says Nilkanth Damle, senior Marathi political commentator and author.
The distribution of portfolios to the BJP top leadership will neutralise any objections, analysts feel. Backward BJP leaders, and members of its core committee — Vinod Tawde (Maratha), Pankaja Munde (Vanjari), Eknath Khadse (Leuva Patil) and Sudhir Mungantiwar (Komthi) — are set to get prominent positions in the cabinet.
Kumar Kadam, senior Marathi journalist who has closely followed the coronation of the previous Brahmin Chief Minister, said there was no undercurrent of hostility toward a Brahmin Chief Minister and that perception has been strengthened after the coming of Mr. Modi.
Mr. Fadnavis enjoys a clean image, bereft of any casteist or communal allegations and that would to a large extent shield him if any mobilisation does take place.
