Bharatiya Janata Party firm on Devendra Fadnavis as CM of Maharashtra

Mumbai : Amid deadlock between Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party over power sharing on Chief Minister post in Maharashtra, two leaders from the BJP claimed that the party will be backing Fadnavis as the CM.

Devendra Fadnavis submitted his resignation to Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in Mumbai on Friday. He has been asked to continue as the care taker CM.

The term of the present assembly expires on Saturday and BJP-Sena alliance appeared on the brinks following a stalemate over rotation of the chief minister's post.

"Fadnavis has the complete trust of the BJP leadership. We will not desert him," a senior BJP leader, privy to internal deliberations, said speaking on condition of anonymity. "Fadnavis was our chief ministerial face in the recent election and there is no point in sacrificing him now."

Fadnavis happens to be the BJP's first Chief Minister in Mharashtra and he has been delivering good numbers since then.

Another BJP leader said that the party is miffed with Shiv Sena's behavior after the results for recently concluded Assembly Elections were announced. The leader said Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had made the CM's post an 'ego battle'.

According to party insiders, the BJP feels the need to support Fadnavis, as he has skirted controversies and delivered taint-free governance in last five years, for fear of bringing an end to his illustrious career.