An MBA graduate in Methods and Technology of Projects from New Port University, California, Devendra Fadnavis has the unenviable task to unify the faction-ridden state BJP unit of which he was yesterday formally declared as its president.
He will have to use astute methods and technology to harness the state unit as the party prepare for the 2014 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. His elevation to the post is being seen as a victory of sorts for the faction led by Gopinath Munde against the rival faction headed by former party president Nitin Gadkari.
The BJP made a breakthrough yesterday on Gudi Padwa when national president Rajnath Singh formally declared the appointment of the new state BJP president.
Party sources disclosed that the Munde faction had proposed the names of party MP Raosaheb Danve, leader of opposition in legislative assembly Eknath Khadse and Devendra Fadnavis. Danve was not in favor with the Gadkari faction, and Khadse himself had opted out of the race.
Although the name of the leader of opposition in Legislative Council Vinod Tawde had cropped up briefly, his name was not in favor with the Munde faction. Even though Fadnavis’ name has been proposed by the Munde faction, it will be interesting to see how far he lends his ear to Munde.
At his first media interaction, Fadnavis reiterated his commitment of holding the executive machinery accountable to the people and using politics as an instrument to bring about socio-economic change. Fadnavis added that the party will focus on the problems of the common man.
A third time MLA from Nagpur south-west assembly constituency, he is the second state BJP president to hail from the Vidarbha region. Born on July 22, 1970, Fadnavis is a law graduate with merit rank from Nagpur University. Besides an MBA, he also holds a DSE degree from the German Foundation for International Development (DSE).
At 21, he became the youngest municipal corporator of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation and at 27, in 1997, he became the youngest Mayor of Nagpur.
Devendra Fadnavis was instrumental in forming the Young Parliamentarians Forum, an all-party forum of young first-timer MLAs in the State Legislature.
The erudite Fadnavis has written several books and papers on budget, energy security, climate change and welfare issues.
He is perhaps the only young politician to have even modeled for a clothes line in Nagpur. In the recent spat between Aam Aadmi Party leader Anjali Damania and Gadkari, the former had singled out Fadnavis for praise for his intellect.