Mumbai: Ravindra Chavan has been unanimously appointed as the new President of the Maharashtra unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during a grand event held in Worli, Mumbai. The announcement was formally made by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju. The timing of Chavan’s elevation is significant, as it comes ahead of local body elections in the State.
The occasion saw the presence of senior BJP leaders, including Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Mumbai BJP President Ashish Shelar. According to Rijiju, Chavan will soon assume his responsibilities as the state party head.
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In a sharp attack on political rivals, Mumbai BJP President Ashish Shelar remarked, “Ravindra Chavan will perform the ‘last rites’ of the opposition; he will not rest until he completely dismantles them.” This statement, made during the event, reflected the party’s aggressive posture ahead of the upcoming elections.
Chavan’s journey through BJP ranks
Considered a close confidant of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Chavan’s political trajectory highlights his steady rise within the BJP ranks. His ideological grounding lies in the teachings of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Starting as the Kalyan Deputy District President of the BJP Yuva Morcha in 2002, he went on to defeat a Congress candidate in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation elections in 2005, becoming a corporator.
He subsequently served as the Chairman of the Standing Committee in 2007. Since 2009, Chavan has been elected four times consecutively as an MLA from the Dombivli constituency. In 2016, he joined the Devendra Fadnavis-led state government as a Minister of State, overseeing portfolios like Ports, Information Technology, Medical Education, Food and Civil Supplies, and Consumer Protection until 2019.
Chavan has also served as the Guardian Minister for Raigad and Palghar districts. In 2020, he was appointed the BJP Maharashtra General Secretary. By 2022, he became a Cabinet Minister in the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government, again taking charge of two departments, while serving as Guardian Minister for Sindhudurg and Palghar.
During his tenure, Chavan initiated welfare schemes such as ‘Anandacha Shidha’ and ‘Ration Aplya Dari’ (Ration at Your Doorstep). He is known for being a staunch follower of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, having played a key role in installing Savarkar’s statue at the Mauritius Maharashtra Mandal.
