Bhubaneswar: Amiable eyes, steely grit with chubby face personify the astute, gentleman politician Devendra Fadnavis. The 54 year old BJP leader will adorn the Chief Minister chair of Maharashtara, the state that contributes 2nd highest Lok Sabha sea tally. He will tomorrow take the oath as 27th CM of Maharashtra state since it became an independent state in 1960.
A modest man, Devendra Fadnavis has the resoluteness to the core. When in 2019, Udhhav Thackeray led Shiv Sena broke away from BJP to take oath as CM with MVA, in the State Assembly, Devendra Fadnavis had sung a famous couplet-cum-say prophecy –
“Mera Pani Utarte Dekh Mere Kinaare Par Ghar Mat Basa Lena, Main Samandar hoon, Wapas Laut ke Aaunga” – (Seeing water receding away, don’t build a house on my shores. I am Ocean, will soon return) Tuesday turned true. Devendra Fadnavis returned to the CM chair with a resolute mandate. BJP won 132 seats of 149 seats contested.
ASTUTE STRATEGIST
How Devendra Fadnavis looks at the political administration can be summed up from the following statement he made while receiving Arun Bongirwar Public Service Excellence awards in Mumbai.
He said, “90% of the problems in the government can be solved with a positive approach.”
It is his, this ‘positive approach’ outlook, that served the bailout strategy for BJP in 2024 Assembly elections, when the Party cadre and leaders were down in gloom after the ignominious defeat at the hands of INDI alliance in 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
A core RSS man with progressive outlook, Devendra took the moral responsibility of the huge defeat of BJP in the Lok Sabha 2024 polls.
When the MVA allies took granted for their sure victory in the assembly polls courtesy the goadings by many political pundits, this Chanakya of Amit Saha and Modi, was busy in preparing a blue print with RSS, and two key aides of Mahayuti – Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.
And his political strategy at the grassroot level along with Scheme showers, the BJP and Mahayuti bounced back with a bang.
MR CLEAN
During his stint as opposition leader in Maharashtra, his RTI filings exposed multiple scams during the Congress rule of 2004 to 2014. For which, he earned a reputation, when political analysts in Maharshtra rated his political bark worse than his bite.
He is known in Maharashtra as Mr Clean. Known for transparency, no single scam has been reported during his 5-year long tenure of 2014 -2019 as CM of Maharashtra, despite running a coalition ministry.
STORY OF FADNAVIS RISE
Year 2010-2012, villages in Vidharbha were facing brutal load shedding. Many farmers feared to venture out to their fields in evening as some got bitten by snakes and were mauled by foxes. The situation worsened to a great extent.
Then came the savior, the young MLA from Nagpur, Devendra Fadnavis, who gatecrashed the public hearings of Maharashtra Electricity Board with a motley of his protestors demanding answers for the worsening power crisis in Vidharbha. He was an effective MLA during the congress rule. His attacks on the then Congress regime with documentary proof proved proverbial in BJP big win in Maharashtra in 2014.
His traits of war cry on the battle ground, holding the pulse of people in hand, a outlook/vison on the horizon, and non-politicking man image in the party then led to his rise as a frontline BJP leader to adorn the CM chair in 2014.
From 2014, he never looked back.
FADNAVIS ASSETS VS HUBBY'S
A glance at the 2024 affidavit filed before the Election Commission has the following facts that shows wife Amruta Fadnavis has higher income than him.
- In his affidavit to ECI, Fadnavis’ declared annual income at 38.73 lakhs.
- He stated his profession as social work/agriculture
- On contrary, Amruta Fadnvis, his wife, who works as vice president in Axis Bank, declared annual income of Rs 79.3 lakhs
- His total assets stood at Rs 13.27 cr
BANK BALANCE OF DEVENDRA VS AMRUTA.
- As per the affidavit, Devendra has more liquid cash in hand than wife Amruta.
- Devendra has Rs 23.5K; Amruta has 17 k
- In Bank/FI/NBFC deposits also Devendra seems clearly ahead.
- Because, out of over Rs 5.94 lakh such deposits, wife Amruta has mere Rs 1.4 lakh
- But Devendra has Rs 2.2 lakhs.
- Devendra plans his financial growth with bank FDs and FI schemes
- Amruta has nil postal saving certificates.
- Devendra has17.70 lakhs in postal saving schemes
- On contrary, Amruta, availing her banking experience, seems investing smartly in bonds and debentures.
- When it comes to bonds and debentures,
- Devendra has nil
- But Amruta’s investment in bonds and debentures stood at whopping Rs 5cr.
- In LIC policies also, Amruta has a lead over Devendra.
BIG: Both wife-husband has declared in affidavit that they have no motor vehicles.
JEWWLLERY ACCOUNT
- Devendra Fadnavis has jewellery valued at Rs 32.85 lakh
- Wife Amruta jewelllery value totals to Rs 65 lakhs
- The total liquid/movable assets of Devendra Fadnavis has been estimated at 56 lakhs.
- BUT Wife AMRUTA’s movable assets value stood at whopping Rs 6.96 cr.
FADNAVIS FACTS
- At the age of 21, became the youngest municipal councillor of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation.
- He served for two consecutive terms from 1992 to 1997.
- He became the youngest mayor in Nagpur and served two consecutive terms as a mayor!
- While he was serving as the mayor of Nagpur, Devendra was elected as the first ‘Mayor-in-Council’ of Maharashtra.
- He is also the only person to be re-elected as the Mayor in the state of Maharashtra.
- He had been elected Member of the Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra State, representing Nagpur, since, 1999.
- Best Parliamentarian Award for the year 2002-2003 by the Commonwealth Parliamentarian Association.
- Best Speaker’ Award in National Inter-University Debate.
- Most Challenging Youth’ regional Award by Rotary Club.
- Best Parliamentarian’ Award in the memory of Late Pramodji Mahajan by Muktchand, Pune.
- RAJYOGI NETA’ Award by Prunavad Parivar, Nasik.
