Fadnavis resignation decided at Modi-Shah-Nadda meeting, say sources

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and the party’s working president J. P. Nadda decided at a meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should step down, according to sources.

Why the decision was taken

The sources said the leadership concluded that, despite every effort, it could not put together a majority for the floor test. Going into a vote it was sure to lose was seen as more embarrassing than having Fadnavis resign. According to the sources, once the Prime Minister learnt that Ajit Pawar appeared unable to bring legislators along for the vote, the leaders chose a resignation before the test to protect the party’s standing and limit the damage.

How the day unfolded

On November 26, Constitution Day, Modi was attending a special session of both Houses of Parliament. While it was under way, the Supreme Court delivered its ruling on Maharashtra and ordered a floor test by Wednesday evening. After the session, Shah and Nadda went to Modi’s room to discuss the situation, and their meeting lasted about half an hour.

Shortly after the meeting ended, Ajit Pawar resigned. The party leadership then told Fadnavis of the decision, and at a press conference held at around 3.30 p.m. he announced that he was stepping down, the sources said.

What happened next

After the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance broke, Uddhav Thackeray of the Shiv Sena became Chief Minister in November 2019 with the support of the NCP and the Congress. In the 2019 Assembly election, the BJP had won 105 of the 288 seats.

See also: BJP

Originally published on 27 November 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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