Two hours after former  Chief Minister Devendra  Fadnavis on Thursday made it clear that he would not be part of the new Maharashtra Government, BJP president JP Nadda announced that the party’s Central leadership has decided that Fadnavis will be  part of the new dispensation as Deputy Chief Minister under the Chief Ministership of Eknath Shinde.

Fadnavis is seen as the real architect of the fall of the Uddhav Thackeray Government and was widely tipped to get the CM post.

The Central BJP leadership changed its mind over the issue and asked Fadnavis to join the Government in  the “larger interests” of the State, sources said.

“BJP’s Central leadership made a personal request to him and the Central leadership has said Fadnvais should take charge as Deputy CM of Maharashtra,” Nadda tweeted. Union Home Minister Amit Shah thereafter said Fadnavis had decided to join the Shinde Cabinet.

“After BJP chief Nadda’s direction, Fadnavis has shown large-heartedness by deciding to join the Government in the interests of the people. The decision reflects his true dedication to the State. I congratulate him for the decision,” the Home Minister tweeted.

Earlier, when Fadnavis in his Press briefing said, “Shinde will be Chief Minister,” and  “I will not hold any post in the Government. I will ensure its smooth running with full support.”

The surprise move that has virtually stunned Fadnavis  backers, is seen as the BJP not wanting to  give the impression to the public that the entire  exercise  (breaking of Shiv Sena) was not aimed at  bringing  back Fadnavis as CM of the State.

On Fadnavis accepting a junior post, party sources pointed out the example of Babulal Gaur who became Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh in 2004 after Uma Bharti’s resignation due to a court case and later accepted Minister’s post under new CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Similarly, they cited the example of Kailash Joshi  working under Sunderlal Patwa. Secondly, the party believes that having Fadnavis as number 2 would work as a good check on the untested Shinde.

The BJP leadership is looking at 2024 Lok Sabha polls in projecting Shinde, an OBC, a major caste in Maharashtra. Fadnavis, though the first Brahmin CM of the State, is having a limited caste constituency. Party sources said in the situation backing a Shiv Sainik right now would go a long-way in appropriating “Bal Thackeray legacy” as long as the experiment lasts.

Notwithstanding the brave-face put by Fadnavis, senior BJP State leaders loyal to ex-CM had openly  expressed “deep disappointment” when Shinde’s name was announced first as CM.

Reacting to the development, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP ) Sharad Pawar said Fadnavis was not happy and his face showed that. Addressing a Press conference,  after the BJP leader was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister in Shinde’s Government, Pawar said, “In BJP, once the order comes –either from Delhi or Nagpur – it is followed without any compromise.”