As an elected member in the State Legislative Assembly (1999 to 2014) Fadnavis had made a mark for his budget analysis. With the death of Deputy Chief Minister and state Finance Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash ahead of the Maharashtra Budget Session that commences on February 23, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is likely to present the Budget this year. “Given the time constraint and mammoth exercise that precedes preparation of the Budget, the possibility of Fadnavis presenting the Maharashtra budget 2026-27 cannot be ruled out,” a highly placed source in the Mahayuti said. After the death of Ajit Pawar, there are not many in the Cabinet who have experience in the preparation and presentation of the Budget. Therefore, the responsibility is likely to fall on Fadnavis known for his economic and financial expertise in Maharashtra.