Mumbai, June 30 (PTI) BJP MLA and former minister Ravindra Chavan has filed his nomination for the position of the party's state president, with an official announcement expected by Tuesday evening, according to Maharashtra Chief Minister and senior party leader Devendra Fadnavis. Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis stated that the process to elect the BJP's new state chief is underway, with Union Minister Kiren Rijuju serving as the party's central observer and present during the nomination. "The BJP will soon have a new state president. Ravindra Chavan has today filed his nomination in the presence of senior leaders, including the current chief and state Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule," he noted. The chief minister highlighted Chavan's political journey from a youth wing worker to a municipal corporator, MLA, and later minister. "Chavan is a four-time legislator and a long-time party colleague. We are pleased he has submitted his nomination, with the official announcement set for tomorrow evening," he commented. Fadnavis praised the efforts of outgoing state chief Bawankule in strengthening the party organization, results of which were evident in last year's Assembly elections. Chavan, a notable figure from Thane district, began his political career in 2007 when elected as a corporator in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation. Despite the Congress-NCP alliance's power, he became the chairman of the standing committee. In 2009, he was nominated as the BJP candidate for the Dombivli assembly seat and won. Reelected in 2014, he served as a minister of state managing various municipal corporations within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, including Kalyan-Dombivli, Mira-Bhayandar, and Panvel. He played a pivotal organizational role in expanding the BJP's presence in semi-urban areas such as Karjat, Badlapur, and Matheran. Chavan's performance secured him a position in the state cabinet, and he was appointed guardian minister of Palghar and Raigad districts. In 2019, Chavan won his third MLA term and was recognized for his critical contributions behind the scenes in forming the Eknath Shinde-Fadnavis government in 2022. Subsequently, he was inducted as a cabinet minister with the PWD portfolio and took on the role of guardian minister for Sindhudurg. Chavan secured his fourth consecutive term from Dombivli in 2024, poised to assume leadership of the state's BJP unit.
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