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Maharashtra

Different Journeys, Same Destination: Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde, And Ajit Pawar Unite As Maharashtra’s Leadership Trio

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Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra in a grand and colorful ceremony at the Azad Maidan on Thursday evening. Eknath Shinde, leader of the Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar, leader of the NCP, took oath as Deputy Chief Ministers.

Here’s a look at the political careers of the CM and DyCMs.

Devendra Fadanvis

Devendra Fadnavis, the political stalwart who rose from humble beginnings to become a key figure in Maharashtra politics, was on Thursday evening sworn in as chief minister – a position he has held twice before.

During his previous tenure as Chief Minister, before the 2019 elections, Fadnavis famously recited the line “Mi Punha Yein” (I will back), which became both a widely celebrated and critiqued tagline. However, the political landscape shifted dramatically after the elections when Uddhav Thackeray parted ways with the BJP. Fadnavis then allied with the NCP’s Ajit Pawar, and both were sworn in as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, respectively, in a government that lasted less than 80 hours.

Fadnavis faced ridicule over his “Mi Punha Yein” remark during the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government’s tenure. In 2022, Eknath Shinde led a split in the Shiv Sena and formed a new government with the BJP. Although many expected Fadnavis to return as the CM, he was appointed Deputy Chief Minister instead. After a challenging political journey of five years, Fadnavis has finally reclaimed the Chief Minister’s position.

From being a corporator and mayor in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation to becoming the Chief Minister of the state, Fadnavis has had a distinguished political career. Fadnavis began his political career as an active member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). At 22, he became a corporator in the Nagpur civic body and its youngest Mayor in 1997 at age 27.

In 1999, he was first elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from the West Nagpur constituency, where he was re-elected consecutively for two terms. Later, he won the elections from the South West Nagpur constituency four times. Since 1999, he has represented Nagpur in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

Eknath Shinde

From a Shiv Sena rebel in 2022, veteran politician Eknath Sambhaji Shinde went on to acquire the image of a doer and man of action as chief minister in a short span of two-and-a-half years when he headed the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra.

Shinde, who had no prior political background, began his political career in 1980. After working for some time in organisational roles for the Shiv Sena, he was appointed to various constitutional positions. He won his first election as a corporator in the Thane Municipal Corporation in 1997, followed by his appointment as Leader of the House in 2001.

In 2004, Shinde was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. A year later, he was named the Thane district head of Shiv Sena. Over the years, Shinde’s popularity grew, leading to his re-election to the Assembly in 2009, 2014, and 2019.

During his tenure in the Legislative Assembly, Shinde held several significant roles. From 2014 to 2019, he served as the Minister for Public Works and Guardian Minister of Thane district. In 2018, he was appointed the Leader of the Shiv Sena in the Assembly.

In 2019, he assumed additional responsibilities as the Minister for Public Health and Family Welfare, as well as the Minister for Urban Development and Public Works. He also briefly served as the acting Minister of Home Affairs later that year.

A turning point in his political career came in June 2022, when Shinde, along with several MLAs, moved to Surat, Gujarat, sparking a political crisis in Maharashtra. This led to Uddhav Thackeray’s resignation as Chief Minister. Shinde subsequently formed a new government in alliance with the BJP and NCP and was sworn in as the 20th Chief Minister of Maharashtra in June 2022.

On December 5, 2024, Shinde took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, further cementing his role as a key figure in the state’s political landscape.

Ajit Pawar

Ajit Pawar, who has long aspired to become the chief minister but finished second five times, has once again been appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister. This marks the sixth time as the deputy chief minister, setting a unique record.

A stalwart of Maharashtra politics, Ajit Pawar is a seasoned leader renowned for his administrative expertise, sharp political instincts, and strong grassroots presence. Over his political career, he has served as deputy chief minister under Chief Ministers Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

Despite speculations about facing challenges in retaining the Baramati constituency during the assembly elections, Ajit Pawar was re-elected for the eighth consecutive time with a significant majority. His re-election solidifies his position as a key figure in Maharashtra politics.

In 1991, Ajit Pawar contested the Lok Sabha elections for the first time and became the Member of Parliament (MP) from Baramati. That same year, following the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi and the subsequent political changes at the Centre, Sharad Pawar was appointed as the Union Defence Minister.

After Sharad Pawar resigned from his position in the Baramati Assembly constituency, Ajit Pawar contested the by-election and was elected as the MLA for the first time. Since then, for the past 35 years, he has been consistently elected from the Baramati.

While in government, Ajit Pawar has handled key portfolios such as finance minister, water resources minister and rural development minister. He has also served as the guardian minister of Pune. After the fall of the MVA government, he served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for a year.

Maharashtra

Vande Mataram is a must, some people are self-proclaimed patriots, Uddhav Thackeray

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Mumbai: Before the local body and BMC elections in Mumbai Maharashtra and in the context of vote theft, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray once again took a dig at the Election Commission while addressing a press conference and said that the Election Commission has tried to show that every house has 40 to 50 voters registered, therefore, it is necessary to verify the Election Commission list and to check the Election Commission list, centers will now be set up in Shiv Sena branches for correcting the Election Commission list. Uddhav Thackeray said that the youth who have completed the age of 18 should get their names registered with the Election Commission. He said that an investigation should be conducted in every house to see if anyone’s name is listed in the Election Commission list without permission. Uddhav Thackeray called the Election Commission list itself suspect and said that there has been rigging and irregularities in the voter list, therefore the opposition is protesting against the issue of vote theft. Uddhav Thackeray made Vande Mataram mandatory. Criticizing the BJP for declaring it as a state, he said that people are being misled to divert their minds from the issues and such issues are being brought up. These people are actually self-proclaimed patriots and we need to be careful with them. He said that people should remain vigilant and try to correct the errors in the voter list.

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Maharashtra

Maharashtra Shortlists Seven Senior IPS Officers for Next DGP Post

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By Kamar Ansari | Mumbai Press News

Mumbai: Maharashtra is set for a major leadership change in its police force, as the tenure of the current Director General of Police, Rashmi Shukla, ends on December 31. In preparation for the transition, the state Home Department has shortlisted seven senior IPS officers and sent the names to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for approval. The UPSC will select three names from the list, after which the state government will appoint one of them as the next DGP.

According to officials familiar with the development, the shortlisted names include officers from various key security and policing verticals in the state.

The officers shortlisted are:
Sadanand Date, Director General of the National Investigation Agency;
Sanjay Verma, DGP Legal and Technical;
Ritesh Kumar, Commandant General of Home Guards;
Sanjeev Kumar Singhal, DGP Anti-Corruption Bureau;
Archana Tyagi, Director General of the State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation;
Sanjeev Kumar, Director of Civil Defence;
Prashant Burde, DG Government Railway Police.

Among them, Sadanand Date is considered the senior-most officer and a strong contender for the role. He is due to retire in December 2026, making him eligible for a full two-year term if appointed. Date is highly respected for his service record, including his heroic actions during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks where he confronted terrorists with limited resources and prevented heavy civilian casualties.

However, his appointment depends on the central government’s approval since he is currently serving as the chief of NIA. Sources indicate that the state government has not yet formally requested his release from the central posting, which may become a factor in the final decision.

The appointment process will move forward once the UPSC finalizes three names for the government to choose from. The state is expected to announce the next DGP before Rashmi Shukla’s retirement to ensure seamless policing leadership.

Rashmi Shukla, who has led the Maharashtra Police during an eventful tenure, will retire on December 31, bringing an end to a long and distinguished service career.

Mumbai Press News Kamar Ansari will continue to follow the developments closely and bring timely updates on the selection of Maharashtra’s next top police officer.

By Kamar Ansari
Mumbai Press News

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Maharashtra

Ameer Sunni Dawat-e-Islami Maulana Mohammad. Shakir Noori is once again included in the list of the 500 most influential Muslims of the year 2026.

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Mumbai: November 1 – Maulana Muhammad Shakir Noori, Ameer of Sunni Dawat-e-Islami, who has played a prominent role in the fields of education, social and welfare services, and religious and religious leadership, and under whose management the annual gathering held at Azad Maidan, Mumbai, is one of the largest Sunni gatherings in the world, has been included in the list of 500 most influential Muslims in the world. This list consists of those personalities who are playing a prominent role in the Muslim world with a spirit of positive change, leadership, influence and service. This list is compiled under the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center, Oman (Jordan) and is published every year in collaboration with the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University (USA). In a statement issued on Friday, Sunni Dawat-e-Islami said that Maulana Noori’s tireless efforts in promoting educational and social services and welfare works have earned him this honor at the global level.

The statement said that Maulana Shakir Noori, who leads one of India’s largest Sunni organizations, has impacted thousands of lives through education, women’s empowerment, youth guidance and anti-drug campaigns. This award is not only a recognition of Maulana Noori’s services but also reflects the positive and constructive identity of Indian Muslims at the global level. Sunni Dawat-e-Islami is a non-political religious organization headquartered in Mumbai. Every year around December, this organization organizes a three-day grand gathering that includes religious speeches, speeches on contemporary issues, and educational guidance for students.

About three hundred thousand people participate in this gathering annually. About 50 educational institutions are established under the organization, in which more than 7,000 students are studying. Maulana Noori has authored more than 40 books that have been published in different languages. He has started several welfare projects, including empowering Muslim youth and women through education, providing food and clothing to the poor, guiding the weaker sections, reforming the youth, and campaigns against drugs and intoxicants. On this joyful occasion, congratulations are being offered by scholars, preachers, and concerned people, and Hazrat Ameer Sunni Dawat-e-Islami is praying for his health and long life.

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