With the results of the third phase of elections now declared, the Bharatiya Janata Party has once again emerged on top, winning the highest number of seats. In the Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections, the BJP outperformed both its Mahayuti allies and the parties of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, reinforcing the message that the people’s mandate in the state continues to favour the party. At the same time, one conclusion has become hard to miss: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and BJP state president Ravindra Chavan have firmly established themselves as the most effective political duo in the state today.
Under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis and the sharp organisational strategy of Ravindra Chavan, the BJP has pulled off a rare hat-trick by winning the maximum number of seats across successive elections. The party’s victories in the municipal council elections held in November, followed by the municipal corporation elections in January, and now the Zilla Parishad elections in February, point to a consistent and well-oiled electoral machine. This Devendra–Ravindra combination built that machine through precise election planning, a strong campaign network, tight organisation at the local level, and direct coordination between grassroots workers and the state leadership.
What this achieved was crucial. Local leaders felt both the protection of the top leadership and the pressure of discipline. The result was visible on the ground. In several places, the BJP registered victories that were not just unexpected but historic. There is little doubt that the chief architect of this success was Devendra Fadnavis, while its most skilled strategist was Ravindra Chavan.
Ravindra Chavan is widely regarded as a proven election manager. A state president deeply rooted at the grassroots, he remains accessible to party workers and closely connected to ground-level realities. While making balanced use of political tactics required during elections, he has consistently worked to bind workers and voters to the party’s ideological core. This is precisely why he enjoys strong links with both centres of power, Delhi and Nagpur. Above all, he has continuously received the trust, backing, and cooperation of Devendra Fadnavis.