Narendra in Delhi, Devendra in Maharashtra?

“Narendra in Delhi, Devendra in Maharashtra.”

Bharatiya Janata Party’s catchy slogan has caught everyone’s attention. And as the party leads in Maharashtra, there is hope that this becomes a reality.

Complete coverage: Battle for Maharashtra     

The 44-year Devendra Fadnavis has emerged as BJP’s front runner for the top post in Maharashtra. Fadnavis, who is said to have the backing of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is leading from Nagpur (south west) as the counting is underway for the Maharashtra assembly polls.

The Maharashtra state party chief held a puja at his home in Nagpur before he left for Mumbai on Saturday night further intensifying speculation that he could be picked as the next chief minister.      

But last week Fadnavis said, "There are no front runners and back runners. In the BJP, it is the legislature party and parliamentary board which decides.”

But his wife Amrita did not mince words when she told a television channel on Sunday morning, "her heart" wants that her husband be CM. “If the party decides he should be CM, he will be happy to be CM,” she said. "He will definitely accept the challenge, but he is not contesting for it."

It may not be a cakewalk for Fadnavis though. If the BJP goes on to form the government, he will face serious competition from Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, leaders of Opposition in the legislature Eknath Khadse and Vinod Tawde.

Image: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Devendra Fadnavis, who leads BJP's race for Maharashtra CM's post. Photograph: devendrafadnavis.in