Devendra Fadnavis: the man who left school because she was named Indira

On Thursday evening, December 5, when Devendra Gangadhar Fadnavis of the BJP takes the reins of the government of Maharashtra, it will be the third time that he will find himself in the hot seat of the richest state in the country. Those who have paid attention to his political journey believe that he is on the verge of becoming the country’s prime minister.

In a state dominated by Maratha politics and politicians, the 54-year-old leader was only the second Brahmin after Shiv Sena’s Manohar Joshi to become the state’s chief minister. This is not surprising given the Marathi perception of Brahmins as traitors, particularly applied to the Brahmin-ruled Peshwais of medieval Maharashtra.
Fadnavis he himself has regularly faced attacks for his Brahmin identity from Marathi leaders, ranging from former chief minister Sharad Pawar to Marathi reservation activist Manoj Jarage-Patil. Fadnavis’ resurgence despite Maharashtra’s unique caste dynamics shows his political acumen and resilience.